


No Escape

by Quillbreaker



Series: No Escape [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Heavy Angst, Horror, M/M, Rape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-04-30 18:17:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 132
Words: 148,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14502756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quillbreaker/pseuds/Quillbreaker
Summary: Harry surrenders himself in order to save his friends but is he ready to face the consequences of his choice? Will Harry be saved by the order or will he be condemned to live in Voldemort's hell forever? Moreover what are Voldemort's plans for Harry, now that he has him under his thumb? Find out that and more by reading the story





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've had an AO3 account for more than a year now. I'm just going to give it a try by posting one of my stories here. If you want to read more of my works I have a fanfiction account with the same name and all of my works are primarily posted there.

They were surrounded by death eaters in the department of mysteries and there was no escape. He could see defeat staring him in the face. Slowly Lucius Malfoy removed his mask and faced Harry,

“Give up, Potter. You and your friends are surrounded and there is no escape for you.”

Harry knew that he couldn’t risk the lives of his friends. Lucius Malfoy was right. Suddenly from the back Bellatrix stepped forward,

“You’re not threatening at all Lucius. Are we going to stand here and chit chat all day? I’ll deal with these babies.”

Harry took a step forward. His heart was threatening to break out of his chest. He had lead his friends into this mess. He couldn’t believe how stupid he had been. He remembered what Snape had said and he realized now that he had been right. Voldemort had taken advantage of his mental weakness and used it against him. And now if his friends got hurt. It would be all his fault. He knew there was only one way to negotiate.

“Why did Voldemort want me to come here? Why did he show me visions of this place?”

Bellatrix laughed hard at that. Her cackles resonated against the walls and sounded even more menacing and then she stepped forward as her laughter died out and pointed her wand at his chest and she shrieked,

“How dare you speak his name. I’ll teach you some respect very soon”

Without warning, Lucius Malfoy and the rest of the death eaters pointed their wands at Harry and his group and cried out,

“EXPELLIRAMUS!!!”

And they were disarmed before they could even blink. Harry felt the fear more than ever and he knew that the situation had gotten from bad from worse in milliseconds. He felt Hermione grip his wrist, he knew she was trying to reassure him but it wasn’t making him feel better. It made him more scared for their lives and he had to do something as soon as possible.

“I’ll do anything that you want. Just let them go”

Harry hated how weak his voice sounded but this was the only option he had left. Behind him everyone was shouting and yelling at him.

“We’ll fight them, Harry. We’ll die for you. Don’t do this.”

“There’s no we anymore, guys. This is over. I can’t risk all your lives”

 “Come here Potter and we’ll let them go.” Lucius Malfoy spoke up.

Harry knew he had no choice. He broke free of Hermione’s tight grip on his wrist and walked towards the group of death eaters. He felt Bellatrix wrap one arm around his neck and felt her wand digging into his chest. He stood still and waited for Lucius to keep his end of the deal. Lucius Malfoy pointed his wand at a galleon and whispered,

“Portus”

The galleon glowed blue and he took it to Hermione,

“You’re the smart one out of this group. So, if you don’t want Potter to get hurt more than he should then take your friends and leave. It’s your only option.”

Hermione took the galleon hesitantly and stared at Harry. Harry couldn’t bear the tears in her eyes so he looked away and closed his eyes tightly. She signalled everyone to put their finger on it and they accepted begrudgingly. And as soon as the portkey was activated, they all vanished in a whirlwind of colour.

Harry breathed out a sigh of relief and felt the fear in his chest fade away. Lucius Malfoy came towards him,

“Time to fulfill your end if the deal.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Wittle baby Potter is all alone now. Master will be delighted to see you. In fact, I believe he may even give me the opportunity to teach you some manners before he finally kills you.”

Harry stood still and tried to ignore Bellatrix’s ramblings. He knew he had gotten him into a tight situation but at least he didn’t have to worry about the safety of his friends at this point. He could be as reckless as he wanted to be. He looked around the corridor and tried to find a way out. He couldn’t face Voldemort yet. He had to escape somehow.

“Don’t even think about escaping. There’s no escape for you.”

Harry looked up at Lucius Malfoy and suddenly spat on him.

“Screw you and your fucking master.”

He kicked Bellatrix in the shin and took advantage of her surprise. He broke free and made a run for it. He could feel his heart beat thundering in his ears and the roars of the death eaters. He could feel them chasing him. The sounds of smashing glass, followed by an eerie whispering as their spells missed their target were shattering his ear drums. He could feel the glass raining down on him. And he felt the shards pierce his skin but he knew that he had to keep running. He just couldn’t stop. The aisle had just come to an end. He looked around but he didn’t know which way was the exit. He turned left and soon enough he was in another aisle filled with shelves and shelves of crystal orbs. Somehow it felt familiar. The whole view felt familiar. He didn’t know when he had stopped running and started looking through the shelves. His feet automatically carried him to a shelf and came to a halt in front of it. Harry looked up and he read his own name along with Voldemort’s on the shelf and below it was a crystal orb. His hands automatically moved to grasp it and as soon as he pulled it off the shelf, he felt a wand dig into the back of his neck. Harry instantly became still and slowly turned around. Immediately, Bellatrix snatched the orb from his hands and Harry felt black ropes wrap around his arms and wrists like snakes.

“I should cut off that tongue of yours, Potter. You won’t be needing it anymore”

Harry almost collapsed on the ground due to the ropes restraining his ankles but he felt a death eater hold him from behind and he felt a wand pressed to his head. He looked up at Bellatrix and smirked,

“I’m shocked that you haven’t cursed me yet. Has that snake bastard ordered you not to hurt me?”

At that Bellatrix lashed out and a Harry felt a cutting hex slice through his arm. Instantly blood started pouring out of the wound and started to drip on the floor. He almost cried out in pain but he bit his lower lip to stop himself. He looked up at Bellatrix and grinned,

“I guess he really has ordered you not to harm me and if he hasn’t ordered you then I think that you agree with me on the fact that your master really is a snake bastard.”

Bellatrix was almost about to curse him when Lucius spoke up,

“Enough, Bella and keep your mouth shut, Potter. The dark lord will deal with your insolence in a few moments. Brace yourself. Your death is very near.”

Lucius healed the cut on his arm and grabbed it tightly and Harry had the sensation of being sucked through a tube. But as soon as the feeling had started, it vanished. Harry felt the cool night air strike his face and he felt slightly nauseous. He was afraid of what was coming. The metal gates swung open and Lucius dragged him through them. He felt a loud crack resonate through the air and by the sound of Bellatrix’s loud cackles, he knew that the rest of the death eaters had followed. Lucius continued to drag him through the drive way and soon they were standing in front of a great oak door. Harry knew that his doom awaited him on the other side of this door and he felt the fear restricting his breath. The doors opened and again Lucius dragged him through the lavish entrance. Harry felt a dull pain starting to build up in his scar and he knew that Voldemort was close. He tried struggling against the ropes but they tightened around his wrists and ankles and Harry felt them break the skin and draw out blood. The death eaters assembled in front of another wooden door and Harry’s scar started to burn. At that moment, he just wanted his heart to stop beating. He wanted to die before Voldemort could kill him. Lucius knocked at the door and the doors swung open. Harry could feel his impending death and he knew that there could be no worse feeling than this.


	3. chapter 3

Harry’s scar was burning severely. He was biting his tongue to not scream out. Lucius Malfoy was pulling him besides him. Harry had his eyes closed tightly. The pain in his scar had become excruciating. He was unaware of everything except for the pain. It was consuming him. Suddenly he was thrown on the cold stone floor. He knew that he had to get up but he couldn’t. He felt the metallic taste of blood fill his mouth. And then suddenly he heard that icy cold voice speak,

“I didn’t think that you would be able to accomplish this task successfully, Lucius. And yet you have. You shall be highly rewarded for this.”

Harry wanted to open his eyes and look up but he just couldn’t do it with all the pain.

“Bella, you have always been my most loyal servant. You have never failed me and you have proven yourself tonight. Your loyalty will not go unrewarded.”

Harry imagined that the death eaters must be kneeling in front of Voldemort.

“Harry Potter, you’ve been a thorn in my side since the day you were born. This pain that you feel in my presence is nothing compared to what I will make you go through in the remaining days of your life.”

Harry felt Voldemort draw near and the pain in his scar peaked to a new high. The scream Harry was holding inside tore its way out and Harry screamed louder than he ever had. The blood trickled down his chin, falling in droplets on the floor. He struggled against the ropes and they tightened impossibly tight around his wrists and ankles. Harry felt Voldemort’s hand on his cheek and the Harry expected the pain to increase tenfold but it vanished completely. He was disconcerted. Harry opened his eyes and hesitantly looked up. He was expecting to see the terrifying snake like face of Voldemort but instead he was greeted by the handsome face of Tom riddle. The eyes were the same crimson shade of red but the features were all different. The sharp chiselled features, the long silky black hair, the voracious red lips, exhibited a deadly beauty. Harry just couldn’t tear his eyes away. The shock must have been visible in his eyes because Voldemort smiled predatorily,

“Don’t look so stunned, Harry. I can end your suffering. I’ve offered you to join me before. That offer still stands. I only want your undisputed loyalty.”

Harry tore his gaze away from Voldemort’s. He wouldn’t join Voldemort. He wouldn’t betray his friends or the order. His gaze landed on the crystal orb in Bellatrix’s hand. And he felt curiosity burn in heart. Voldemort wanted that crystal orb but how was it related to him. Why was his name written there along with Voldemort’s? Harry felt Voldemort take his chin and made him face him again.

“I know you want answers. I can provide you with them. I can tell you everything that Dumbledore hasn’t told you. That crystal orb contains your fate and mine. It has the prophecy that made you a target.”

Harry spoke for the first time and his voice was hoarse from the screaming,

“Prophecy?”

Voldemort smiled again,

“I’m glad to see that you share my curiosity. I believe we are very similar indeed.”

Harry wanted to deny that but somehow he couldn’t bring himself to


	4. Chapter 4

Voldemort waved his wand once and the ropes vanished leaving his wrists battered and bruised. As soon as the ropes vanished, the cuts started to bleed profusely. Voldemort slowly started to touch the cuts and Harry let out a cry in pain.

“Weren’t my orders clear, my death eaters?”

The silence in the room was impenetrable. The death eaters were cowering in fear. Voldemort’s tone had been cold and there was the promise of excruciating pain in his voice. Slowly Bellatrix spoke up in a low voice,

“They were my lord, but he tried to escape.”

Harry’s gaze was fixed on his slowly bleeding wrists. Voldemort looked at him and grabbed his chin again slowly and forced him to look up into his eyes and as soon as vivid green met crimson red, Harry felt his mind being ripped open. He saw his whole life in the form of small memories move to the forefront of his mind. He could see himself being bullied by Dudley and his friends. He could see himself working like a servant and bearing the insults of his Aunt and Uncle. He could see himself locked up in the cupboard under the stairs. He could see all the years he had spent with the Dursleys. And then he saw himself talking to the boa constrictor and setting it free. He saw Hagrid informing him that he was a wizard. He saw the moment when he had first laid eyes on Hogwarts. He saw the sorting hat telling him that he would do well in Slytherin. He saw the first time he had ridden a broom, the first time he had beaten Draco. He saw himself in the mirror of Erisid with his parents. He saw Quirrell with Voldemort’s face in the back of his head. He saw the Philosopher’s stone being put into his pocket by his reflection in the mirror of Erisid. He saw himself in the chamber of secrets facing Tom Riddle from the diary. He saw himself kill the snake and destroy the diary. He saw the moment when he met Sirius for the first time. He saw himself save Sirius from the dementors. He saw the dreams he had had about Voldemort in his fourth year. He remembered when he had first seen the dark mark in the sky for the first time. He saw himself being chased by the dragon. He saw himself nearly drowning in the lake. He saw Cedric die. He saw Voldemort being resurrected. He saw himself nearly killed by a dementor in Surrey. He saw himself in the trial. He saw himself being forced to carve, “I must not tell lies” into his own hand. He saw the dream in which Sirius had died. He saw himself surrendering in the department of mysteries. He saw himself trying to escape and he saw himself getting caught. Suddenly the memories stopped and everything blacked out. Harry collapsed on the floor senseless.

Voldemort bent down and gently stroked his cheek. He pointed his wand at Lucius Malfoy and cried,

“Crucio!!!”

The room was instantly filled with his blood curdling screams. They reverberated from the walls. He writhed and struggled on the floor like a fish out of water. Voldemort stopped the curse,

“Where is the diary that I entrusted you with?”

Lucius Malfoy coughed out blood and tried to reply but the curse was placed on him again and he started to scream again. This time he left him under the curse for a minute and then lifted it again. 

“I would kill you if I did not have some use of you”

He looked down at Harry’s unconscious form and spoke,

“It seems like you have a considerable amount of explaining to do.”

He took the prophecy from Bellatrix,

“You are all dismissed.”

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Voldemort conjured a couch in front of his throne and levitated Harry’s limp form on it. He set the prophecy on the side table, sat down on his throne and examined him. His thoughts were immediately directed to Harry’s memories. Harry had been brought up with muggles and not just any type of muggles. He had been brought up with muggles who had treated him as nothing more than a freak. He also deducted that Potter knew parseltongue and the sorting hat had almost sorted him into slytherin. And then there was the fact that he had destroyed his diary and killed the basilisk. He had no doubt that Potter was a Gryffindor at heart. But he was in doubt about his ancestry. Parseltongue was a trait associated with only those that belonged to the slytherin blood line. How did Potter come to possess it? Slowly his features morphed into a smirk,

“You’re a mystery, Harry Potter and I will enjoy unravelling you.”

He summoned a map and pointed his wand at it.

“locate meam”

Suddenly six small globes of light emerged from his wand and settled on different locations on the map. His eyes scanned the map until his eyes landed on the sixth globe. After the destruction of the diary, he had expected the spell to locate his remaining five horcruxes. The cup, the locket, the diadem and the ring were in their respective places. Nagini was with him but the presence of the sixth globe at the same location as Nagini’s was perplexing. He recast the spell and it achieved the same result again. Suddenly he was struck with the realization like lightening. His gaze travelled to Harry’s unconscious form on the couch and all the dots connected automatically. Now he just had to confirm that Harry was indeed his horcrux. He got up from the throne and pointed his wand at Harry’s chest and said,

“Anima revelare”

Suddenly a shadow made of white smoke emerged from his chest and started to take shape. A part of the shadow turned dark and took his form while the rest of the pure white shadow morphed into Harry’s appearance. Voldemort stared at the shadows and his smirk widened. He waved his wand again and the shadows dissipated into the air. Fate was truly in his favour this time. This revelation had changed everything. Harry was going to be his ace in the hole, he was going to be his queen on the chessboard and no one would even suspect it. Not even Harry himself could ever know his true importance. He would have to keep Harry protected but he wasn’t going to let him know about it. Harry was weak and he would have to teach him but he was going to retain his weaknesses. His rebellious nature was obvious from his memories and he wanted a failsafe in case Harry decided to get reckless. Voldemort’s eyes found the cuts on his wrists and ankles which were still bleeding. He slowly started tracing his wand across the cuts. Harry suddenly cried out in his unconsciousness and tried to pull his wrist away. Voldemort grabbed his shoulder tightly and held him in place. After he was done, he released him. Harry’s body grew limp again and his breathing became even again. Voldemort slowly moved his fingers through Harry’s messy black hair.

“You’re going to be my prince and you’ll learn to regard me as your king.”

Voldemort lifted the prophecy from the side table and regarded it,

“You lost Dumbledore. The prophecy is meaningless now. This war is won and your death is certain.”

And at that moment Voldemort laughed a truly sinister laugh that echoed throughout the room.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry slowly stirred. Voldemort, who was reading a book at that moment, looked up and saw Harry’s eyelids flutter. When Harry woke up, he didn’t immediately open his eyes. He couldn’t feel any pain. Had it all been just a horrible nightmare? He wished with all his heart that when he opened his eyes, he would find himself in the Gryffindor dormitory, in his four-poster bed. Slowly Harry opened his eyes and he saw a dark grey stone ceiling. His heartbeat started to quicken. It hadn’t been a dream. It was all real. Harry scrambled up from the couch and stood up straight. He was suddenly met with the sight of Voldemort sitting in his throne. His appearance still unsettled him. Harry ran to the door and turned the knob but it wouldn’t budge. He had to get out. He looked around the room for another exit but found none. He looked at Voldemort who was regarding him as if he was a fascinating creature. Harry growled in frustration and hit the door with his fist. He knew that Voldemort wanted him to beg and he wasn’t going to. Harry hit his fist over and over against the door. He was just filled with the intense desire to shatter everything. He just had to get out of here. He continued hitting his fist against the door until he noticed that red stains had begun to adorn the smooth wooden surface. He stopped and looked down at his fist which had started to bleed. His eyes landed on the marks that Umbridge had made him carve into his skin and he collapsed on his knees. He looked at the door again and started to hit it again and again frantically. He had to get out. He needed to escape. In his desperate hitting, he didn’t notice when Voldemort came to stand right behind his kneeling form. Harry felt someone grip his fist just as he was about to hit the door again and it didn’t take him long to realize that it was Voldemort. Harry instantly pulled away his hand and stood up. Harry took a few steps back and instantly his back touched the door. He instantly knew that he was trapped. Voldemort took a few steps towards him and rested his hands on the door so that Harry was ensnared completely.

“What did you hope to achieve by hammering this door?”

Harry continued to stare at the floor and immediately Harry felt the pain in his scar return with extreme intensity. Harry let out a scream and his hands flew to his scar.

“You’re going to answer me when I ask you a question. So, answer me.”

The pain vanished and Harry took several deep breaths and then slowly spoke,

“Go to hell.”

Voldemort tsked and then the pain returned worse than before. Harry’s screams grew louder and filled the room.

“You should understand that I won’t tolerate this kind of impertinent behaviour.”

He grabbed Harry from his throat loosely and the pain grew worse. Harry’s screams grew impossibly loud and he felt like his throat would tear and his head would just burst. Voldemort forced Harry to look up and when their eyes met, the pain vanished. Harry knew what Voldemort wanted him to say but he just couldn’t bring himself to speak. Slowly he decided to take a middle path,

“I hoped that the door would break down and I would escape.”

Voldemort processed the answer and then chuckled darkly.

“There is no escape for you. It will do well for you to remember that for the rest of your life. The faster you accept this reality, the better it will be for your well-being and the well-being of your friends.”


	7. Chapter 7

Harry sagged against the door and leaned back against it. He looked away from Voldemort and stared off in the distance. Voldemort was pleased to see that his threat had affected Harry in the manner he had desired. He took his hand away from his throat and spoke,

“Now if you’re finished with your melodrama and adolescent tantrum, I believe that you should take a seat. After all there are numerous things that we must discuss.”

Voldemort returned to his throne. Harry stayed against the door for a while, trying to plan a way to get out of this situation. Suddenly he felt a pull towards Voldemort and in seconds, he was standing in front of Voldemort. Voldemort slowly asked in a disappointed tone,

“Must I force you to do everything?”

Harry looked everywhere except at Voldemort. And suddenly the pain in his scar returned. Harry collapsed on his knees in front of Voldemort and buried his face in his hands.

“What did I tell you to do when I asked you a question, Harry? Is it that complicated to understand or is your memory very weak?”

Harry cried out in pain as his eyes started to water from the pain. He closed them tightly. The pain vanished and Harry spoke up,

“You told me that I have to answer whenever you ask a question. No, you don’t have to force me to do everything, for example, you don’t have to force me to defy you…………...”

Harry’s sentence was left incomplete as another wave of pain coursed through his head. Voldemort grabbed him from his hair and yanked his head upwards so that Harry was forced to look up into his crimson burning eyes.

“I’ve tried being merciful with you, Harry. Now you shall see my wrath. Do you remember the vision I projected into your mind of your Godfather’s death?”

Despite the pain, that question made fear course through his veins, making his blood run cold. He knew Voldemort expected a reply so Harry slowly spoke in a voice as steady as he could make it,

“I…...remember.”

Voldemort smiled at that,

“I adore the fear in your eyes, Harry. I’m going to show you how true that vision can be. You will witness the death of your beloved Godfather very soon, followed by the death of everyone you hold dear.”

Voldemort released his grip on Harry’s hair and pushed him away. Harry was fully aware that Voldemort was capable of fulfilling his threat. He couldn’t allow it. He wouldn’t watch everyone he cared for fall prey to Voldemort’s wrath. He would beg, he would do everything in his power to save them. He was ready to sacrifice himself. Harry got up on his knees and slowly spoke,

“Please don’t hurt them. I’ll do anything.”

Voldemort grinned maliciously at that and patted Harry’s shoulder,

“I knew you would come to understand things from my point of view. Sit, Harry.”

Harry stood up and took his seat on the couch. His head was throbbing. He knew he would have to kill his self-esteem to save his friends but it was a small sacrifice compared to their lives. Voldemort conjured a table between them which was filled with all manners of drinks and snacks.

“Harry, eat something. You look like you’ve been starved.”

Harry looked at the different drinks and hesitated but he didn’t want Voldemort to get angry again. He slowly picked up a cup of tea but didn’t drink it. Voldemort poured himself a glass of red wine and took a sip.

“I haven’t poisoned it. If I wished for you to be dead, a simple killing curse would suffice.”

“What about Veritaserum?”

Voldemort laughed at Harry’s question.

“Do you mean to say that you plan on lying to me?”

Voldemort took Harry’s hand and stroked the marks left by the blood quill,

“Do you know, I own a more modern version of this quill? Trust me when I say that it’s far more efficient in making messages sink in.”

Harry shuddered and his hand shook in Voldemort’s grasp. Voldemort griped it tightly,

“Will you lie to me, Harry?”

Harry replied instantly,

“No, I won’t”

Pleased with the answer, Voldemort released his hand and took another sip of his wine.

“Good boy.”

 


	8. Chapter 8

Harry took a sip of his tea and Voldemort smiled in satisfaction,

“I am about to ask you a few questions regarding your past life. I’ve seen your memories and I confess that some of them have made me very curious.”

Harry suddenly choked on his tea and started coughing. It took him a few minutes to get himself under control. After clearing his throat, he cautiously asked,

“You saw my memories?”

Voldemort straightened up in his throne and took another sip of his wine

“I thought you were aware that I watched your memories. Are you really that ignorant?”

Harry tried to remember and then he realized that it was the reason he had blacked out. He had thought that he had blacked out because of the combined pain in his wrists, ankles and scar, and he had dismissed all those memories as a mere flashback moment. But it all fit the picture perfectly now. Voldemort had assaulted his mind and he had brought forward those memories.

Voldemort observed Harry as he tried to remember and he noticed when realization dawned in his eyes. He enjoyed the fact that Harry’s face was a direct representation of his thoughts and feelings. So far he had seen fear, sadness and desperation flash in his eyes and display on his face.

“Harry, are you done contemplating?”

That question brought Harry out of his musings and look up,

“Yes, I’m done. You invaded my mind and watched my memories and then I blacked out.”

“I’m going to advise you to watch your tone in front of me.”

Harry nodded slowly and then took a sip out of his tea,

“Who were you living with until you received your Hogwarts letter?”

Harry stared at the cup of tea in his hands and answered,

“The Dursleys…. My blood relatives.”

“They didn’t treat you like their blood, Harry. I’ve seen little snippets of your living conditions with them.”

Harry didn’t want to respond to that. He hadn’t wanted Voldemort to know that about him.

“I was left with them because of you. If you hadn’t…...”

Harry’s words got stuck in his throat, as he felt his heart fill with grief. The sorrow made its way to his eyes and ran down his cheeks in the form of tears. Harry closed his eyes tightly and tried to stop the tears. He knew that at this moment he looked weak but it didn’t matter anymore. He started to speak again

“You’re the reason for everything that’s wrong with my life. Why don’t you just kill me already? Don’t you want vengeance? I took away thirteen years of your life. I wish you had succeeded in killing me that night. At least one of us would have led a happy life. By not killing me, you condemned me to a life with people who treated me like I was nothing more than their slave. And by not dying completely, you condemned yourself to a live as nothing but a mere shadow.” 

The tears continued to run down his cheeks and he tried to calm himself down. He wiped his tears on the back of his jacket’s sleeve. When he looked up, he saw Voldemort with a wicked expression on his face and then he spoke,

“Harry, you’re wrong. You’re the only one out of both of us who isn’t leading a joyous life. I have returned to my throne, more powerful than before and this time fate is on my side. The light will fall very soon.”

Harry stared at Voldemort with a horrified expression on his face. Voldemort wiped a tear away from his cheek,

“Save your tears, Harry. You’re going to be needing them very soon.”

Harry took a deep breath and calmed himself down. He wiped away the remaining tears and took another sip of tea,

“Do you want them dead, Harry?”

Harry knew Voldemort was talking about the Dursleys.

“Why? They’re not responsible for my misery. You are. I want you dead.”

Voldemort laughed a harsh, humourless laugh at that,

“Do you honestly believe, you can kill me, Harry? I am immortal. The era of darkness is beginning and you will witness how the world will kneel before me.”

Harry looked away from Voldemort and suddenly his gaze stopped in his empty tea cup. His heart beat quickened and fear shot through his body like an electric current.

The tea leaves were displaying a perfect dark mark.  


	9. Chapter 9

Voldemort saw the fear in Harry’s eyes and watched how his body tensed up. He followed Harry’s gaze and saw the cup. Harry’s hands shook and the cup fell from his grasp. With a lazy flick of his wand Voldemort summoned the cup to himself and looked in it. The sight before him made his lips curl into the most sinister smile,

“Harry, have you seen your future?”

Harry stared down at the floor and replied,

“I don’t believe in that.”

In an instant, Voldemort was sitting beside him on the couch and his hand was holding his chin. He made him look up into his eyes,

“Denial will not help. You are my captive and I will never set you free.”

Harry tried to pull away from him but Voldemort’s grip was as tight as a vice.

“Just kill me already. You can show my dead body around to boast your fake supremacy.”

Voldemort grabbed his hair and slapped Harry across the face.

“Do you wish to know why I’m going to keep you alive?”

“Do enlighten me.”

Harry’s voice was laced with sarcasm. Voldemort wanted to make him scream again but he knew that Harry would black out and he wanted Harry in his senses for the time being. So, he slapped him once more. This time the voice echoed through the hall and Harry would have fallen on his side with the force of it if Voldemort hadn’t been holding him by his hair.

“Listen closely, Harry. Killing you is a very menial task. I’m going to keep you alive so that you can see the world bow down before me. Every time I achieve a major victory, you are going to be there besides me to witness it. You will see everything you ever loved burned down to the ground and you will be powerless to do anything. If you do not learn to behave then I will have my death eaters present you with the heads of your friends on silver platters. Maybe then you would understand the extent of my power.”

Harry’s eyes held a mixture of fear and defeat in them but Voldemort knew that his rebellious nature would raise its head again as soon as it got an opportunity. Voldemort let go of his hair and Harry’s hands immediately flew to his scalp. He noticed that Harry’s cheek now had a red mark. Voldemort raised his hand and gently stroked Harry’s cheek,

“I admit that I find pleasure in hurting you, Harry. But if you learn to be obedient then I will have no reason to harm you or your friends. I can be merciful if you are respectful.”

Harry winced at Voldemort’s touch and tried to pull himself away. That slap had left him feeling more powerless than ever. Voldemort had just showed him that even without magic he could hurt him and subdue him. Voldemort pulled him closer. Harry could feel his unnaturally cold breath on his face. He looked away from Voldemort’s burning gaze but Voldemort gripped his chin and forced him to meet his gaze.

“Do you think I’m a monster, Harry?”


	10. Chapter 10

Voldemort saw the confusion dawn in Harry’s eyes and he saw his lips part to display an expression of extreme puzzlement. Voldemort smiled intimidatingly,

“I asked you a question”

Harry didn’t know what to make of that question. Surely Voldemort didn’t expect him to give an honest answer. Voldemort was a monster. He had killed so many people and ruined so many lives. But Harry hated the fact that Voldemort didn’t look like the monster he was inside. Only his eyes resembled those of a demon straight from hell and even those looked perfect with his sharp chiselled features and his blood red lips. Surely a monster could never possess such flawless beauty. But Harry knew that Voldemort’s newly possessed beauty made him even more lethal. He was a flame and people would be attracted to him like moths. They would happily burn just for a single glimpse of him. He suddenly felt Voldemort gently pull at his chin. Harry was pulled away from his train of thought and he suddenly replied,

“I don’t know.”  

Voldemort laughed softly, it almost had a strange music to it. Harry wondered if he ever laughed like that in front of his death eaters,

“I was expecting a more detailed answer after your long contemplation.”

Voldemort let go of his chin and Harry let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. He looked around the room for a clock or window, it seemed like they had been sitting here for hours. He had no idea for how long he had blacked out. He wondered if his friends had told the order about what had happened. Would Dumbledore try to save him? Would the order plan to get him back? Harry took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. Dumbledore had ignored him all year. He hadn’t even looked at him. Harry had a feeling that he would leave him here with Voldemort forever. NO!!! What the hell was he thinking? He couldn’t afford to think like that. He needed to stay optimistic. He would get out of this at any cost. Slowly he drew another deep breath,

“Can I know what the time is?”

“Yes, Harry, you can know what the time is. Its almost 3 AM now.”

He had thought that he had been unconscious for hours but it seemed he had only been out for a few minutes.

“How long was I unconscious?”

“You were unconscious for exactly 42 minutes.”

Had Voldemort been counting the minutes when he had been unconscious? He wanted to know what Voldemort had planned for him. He had told him the basic overview but he hadn’t mentioned where he would keep him locked up. He imagined himself chained up in a small stone cell somewhere and shuddered. Voldemort noticed the shudder that passed through Harry’s body and his distant gaze,

“You are thinking too much, Harry. Things are not going to get any better for you.”

Harry nodded at that and looked away,

“Why do you think Dumbledore has been ignoring you all year?”

That question made Harry look up and Voldemort could see that he had hit his target successfully. The hurt was evident in Harry’s eyes. He noticed how Harry’s nail sunk into the couch as he gripped it tightly. Harry was fighting back tears again,

“He wasn’t ignoring me.”

Voldemort laughed his high-pitched laugh,

“Harry, who are you trying to deceive, me or yourself? I’ve seen a major portion of your memories and I am aware of the fact that Dumbledore ignored you ever since the dementor accident. He came to your trial but he departed as soon as it was over. He did not look at you once. He did not comfort you once. Throughout the year, you were labelled as a liar and an attention seeker. Dumbledore did not defend you once. You were abused by Dolores Umbridge throughout the year and Dumbledore did not even try to sack her. He dismissed the matter entirely….”

Voldemort’s sentence was cut short by Harry’s tear filled voice,

“Please………Stop.”

Harry’s head was bowed down so that his face was hidden but Voldemort knew that he was crying again by the tear drops glistening on the couch. Voldemort stood up and spoke,

“Harry, get up”

Harry wiped away the tears and stood up shakily,

Voldemort cupped his face with his hands and made him look up,

“You will have to face the truth, Harry. I know it is difficult for you to understand but you will soon realize that everything is not as it seems.”

Harry closed his eyes and then suddenly he felt something soft brush against his forehead, at exactly the place where his scar was. He opened his eyes and abruptly realized that Voldemort’s impossibly soft lips were against his scar. Slowly Voldemort took a few steps back and left Harry standing in a haze of confusion and conflict.


	11. Chapter 11

Harry was brought out of his cogitations by the sound of Voldemort snapping his fingers,

“We’re leaving, Harry.”

It took Harry a few minutes to completely understand what Voldemort had said and when he did fully understand it, he spoke out,

“Where are we going?”

Harry realized that his voice had an undertone of fear in it. That didn’t go unnoticed by Voldemort. He smiled viciously,

“There is no need to be afraid. I’m merely taking you to your living quarters.”

That statement didn’t help Harry’s fear at all. If anything, it made it worse. His heart was beating out of control and he felt that sense of impending doom. Voldemort grasped his arm tightly and before Harry could comprehend what Voldemort was going to do he felt the air leave his lungs. He felt like he was being sucked through a very tight tube. Harry felt like he would just suffocate. Suddenly, he felt cold air strike his face. Voldemort relinquished his grip on Harry’s arm and Harry fell to his knees and took in several deep gulps of air. Voldemort watched Harry in amusement.

“Judging by your condition, this is your first experience of side along apparition. Am I right, Harry?”

Harry nodded and slowly stood up. He looked around and saw an abandoned farm surrounded by trees. Voldemort had already started to walk towards it. Harry glanced around again in search for a means to escape but he only saw the dark dense forest in the surroundings. Voldemort stopped and Harry begrudgingly decided to follow him. Harry followed him and Voldemort started to walk again, until they were at the door. The door was cracked and almost hanging from the hinges. The whole farm house looked like it hadn’t been used in years. The door opened by itself and Voldemort stepped inside. Harry hesitantly followed. All kinds of dark thoughts plaguing his mind but as soon as he crossed the threshold, he felt as if he had stepped into a completely different world. Harry was standing in the middle of a lush green extensive orchard. There were all kinds of flowers in full bloom as far as he could see. Harry could tell that they weren’t ordinary flowers by the faint glow each one them emanated. He bent down and slowly touched a single red tulip, to make himself believe that all of this was real. As soon as his finger met the soft petal of the tulip, he realized that it was really there. He straightened up and his gaze was met with a dark gothic structure. It was horrifically magnificent. Harry comprehended that this must be Voldemort’s true castle. The dark castle was in direct contrast with the beautiful orchard and he realized that it was an apt description of Voldemort’s current appearance. Harry shook his head to clear away the thought and walked towards Voldemort. Voldemort pointed his wand at the huge oak doors and they swung open to reveal a glorious foyer. The parquet floor shone. The huge chandelier shimmered with light. There was a huge tapestry with the dark mark emblazoned on it. A set of stairs led up to the rooms. And there were two different doors on either side of the foyer that led to the other parts of the castle. Harry was awestruck. He had never though he would ever see a more magnificent place than Hogwarts and as much as he hated to admit it, he was impressed.

Voldemort watched the fascination dance across Harry’s face and he saw how Harry’s eyes shone with curiosity. As much as he liked seeing this new side, he wanted Harry to fear him. He stepped close to Harry, so that he was right behind him. He smiled demonically and gently whispered in Harry’s ear,

“Welcome to your nightmare, Harry.”


	12. Chapter 12

Harry stood still. He pondered over what Voldemort had just said. This wasn’t anything like his nightmares. Even Voldemort didn’t look like the Voldemort from his nightmares. He turned around to face him slowly,

“It doesn’t look like my nightmare. I feel like I’m in a wonderful dream.”

Voldemort’s demonic smile didn’t falter. He stepped closer to Harry and had raised his hand to touch him when Harry instinctively stepped back in fear. Voldemort’s smile broadened,

“If you feel like you’re in a wonderful dream then why are you so afraid, Harry? After all I wouldn’t hurt you in your dreams. I would only torture you in your nightmare.”

Harry stepped back a little further. Voldemort ignored his retreat and starting making his way up the stairs. Harry took that as his cue to follow, and so he did. He walked up the black marble staircase. Voldemort led him through a labyrinth of corridors, until they reached a door. The door opened by itself revealing a lavishly furnished room. The room was wallpapered with black vintage wallpaper, there was a single window that provided the view of the orchard. There was a king-sized bed laden with heavy black covers. Apart from the bed, there was a study table, a divan, a foot stool and a full view mirror. Harry noticed that there was a door that probably led to the bathroom. Voldemort snapped his fingers again and Harry stopped observing the room,

“You will be staying here, Harry.”

Harry was perplexed. He had imagined that Voldemort would lock him somewhere in a cell. He hadn’t expected this.

“Why? Why aren’t you locking me up in a cell?”

Voldemort laughed menacingly,

“I can assure you that if you don’t behave, I will have you manacled and chained somewhere far worse than a cell.”

Harry gulped in fear. He knew that Voldemort’s threats weren’t empty. Harry stared down at the thick black carpet,

“Look at me, Harry.”

Harry raised his head slowly and looked up,

“I expect you to be obedient. Dumbledore and his band of fools cannot save you. This castle is unplottable. Even my most loyal death eaters do not know of its location. So, I want you to stop hoping for a miracle and accept your fate. Is that clear, Harry?”

Harry didn’t respond. He didn’t know how to respond. Slowly he shook his head, it wasn’t a nod, it wasn’t even a sign to say no, it was just a gesture.

“You will earn certain privileges through your good behaviour. Those privileges include leaving the room, permission to explore the castle, access to the library, access to the orchard and I might even grant you, your wand, Harry.”

At the mention of his wand, a single ray of hope emerged in his heart. He knew that his wand was the only thing that could get him out of this but Voldemort had just associated his wand with his obedience and he didn’t know if he could ever be obedient to him. Slowly Harry spoke up,

“So, until I earn the privilege to leave this room, I’m basically going to be locked in here?”

“Yes, Harry. I’m glad to see that you’re catching on.”

Harry looked around the room again and asked,

“Are there other people living here?”

Voldemort let out a soft chuckle at that question,

“What do you think, Harry?”

“I don’t know.”

Harry replied. He felt incredibly stupid for asking such a question. Voldemort spoke up in a gentle tone,

“No one resides here apart from you and I.”

Harry thought on that for a moment and before he could stop himself another question had just left his mouth,

“Not even house elves?”

Voldemort laughed darkly at that,

“I am aware of your history with house elves, Harry. There are no house elves here.”

That reply left him extremely puzzled because as far as he had seen, there wasn’t a single dust particle on anything. Everything was spotless. Even the orchard seemed like it was well looked after

“But then who maintains the castle and the orchard?”

Voldemort smiled at that,

“That is a very fair question, Harry. And the answer to that is exceedingly simple. Magic looks after the castle and the orchard.”

Harry stared at Voldemort, extremely perplexed,

“But why does Hogwarts have an army of elves then, why isn’t it looked after by magic too?”

Voldemort’s smile widened,

“Dumbledore is a narrow-minded fool, who believes that magic should be limited to a certain number of applications. Magic knows no bounds, Harry. Magic is an entity. It serves only those who know it’s true potential. Dumbledore and the likes of him try to restrain magic so magic naturally does not serve them. It is also a means to exploit other species, like house elves, thestrals, and other magical creatures.”

Harry observed the way Voldemort talked about magic, he could see how much love and fascination, he felt for magic. Harry almost felt the exact same way. He remembered when he had heard Hagrid talk about magic, when he had first seen him perform magic. It had probably been the best moment of his life.

Harry suddenly felt Voldemort’s hand on his shoulder,

“I only require you to open your mind and your heart, Harry. You will learn to see, who is right and who is wrong.”

Harry nodded slowly and looked away.

“You’re going to rest now, if you require anything then you need only ask for it.”

Harry continued to stare at the floor and nodded again. Voldemort patted his head,

“Behave yourself, Harry.”

With that Voldemort left the room and the door closed behind him automatically. Harry stood still for a few minutes staring at the black carpet, trying to contemplate the situation and then it dawned on him,

There truly was no escape for him. He was completely trapped.


	13. Chapter 13

Harry shook his head to clear his mind of all the mistaken thoughts that Voldemort had planted in his mind with that conversation. He went to the door and turned the door knob. It didn’t move. Harry hadn’t expected it to move. He knew that Voldemort wouldn’t let him leave this room until he started being obedient. Slowly he made his way to the full-length mirror and looked at his reflection. His jacket and shirt had a large gash in the sleeve, where Bellatrix had hexed him. He looked at his wrists and suddenly remembered with a twinge that they had been cut by the ropes but there weren’t even marks left there. Voldemort must have healed him when he had blacked out. He looked down at his ankles and they were healed too. And then his eyes met the injuries on his fists, which he had inflicted on himself. He wondered why Voldemort hadn’t healed those. But then he realized that he was asking the wrong question. He should be asking, why had Voldemort healed his other injuries. Slowly he pulled off his jacket and put it on the bed. He made his way to the window and looked outside at the beautiful night view of the orchard, it was a full moon and all the vegetation was shrouded in a silvery layer. And then suddenly an idea struck him. This window could be his ticket out of here.

He looked around the window ledge but there wasn’t a way to open it. The only way was to break it. He looked around the room for anything to shatter the glass with but there wasn’t anything like that present. He rushed to the wardrobe and threw it open. He found several pair of robes hanging there. He pulled one out and wrapped it around his hand. He felt the blood rushing in his body, he could hear it thundering in his ears. He ran to the window and hit the glass as hard as he could but it didn’t work. He tried again and again but realized that the robe was cushioning the impact rather than increasing it. He pulled it off his hand and took a deep breath. He hit the window with his already injured fist. On the first attempt, nothing happened. He tried again and again.

After a few attempts Harry paused to catch his breath and he noticed a small crack in the glass. A wide grin appeared on his face and his resolve grew stronger. He started hitting the window again. The adrenaline coursing through his body stopped him from feeling any pain. His fists had started to bleed again but he couldn’t stop. Not when he was so close to getting out of this. The crack grew bigger and Harry’s fist began to bleed so much that the glass had gotten blood stained and Harry had to wipe away the blood from the window to see how much the crack had grown. He continued his hitting and suddenly he heard the glass cracking. His grin grew wider. He couldn’t believe that freedom was just one hit away. He was finally going to be out of this. He was finally going to see his friends. Pulling his fist back he hit the glass with his full strength and the glass shattered. The glass shards flew in every direction. A few got embedded in his fists and some more collided with his face. Harry felt the cool night air strike his face and knew that freedom was just in his grasp. Blood dripped down Harry’s hands as he made his way to the open window. But before he could even touch the open window, the window repaired itself.

A perfect, scratch less glass appeared in the window pane and Harry collapsed on his knees as his hopes came shattering down. He let out a scream in despair and felt his heart sinking. He felt the adrenaline rush coming to an end as he felt the excruciating pain in his fists. He slowly laid down on the floor and buried his face in the thick carpet. He screamed and screamed in pain until he felt his throat give in. His disappointment escaped through his eyes in the form of tears. He was never going to get out of here. Voldemort had made sure that there would no escape for him. He had perceived his every move and taken steps to eradicate even the remotest chance of his escape. He could feel the carpet getting soaked in the blood rushing from his hands. Black spots started to dance in his vision and they started to grow until his vision was nothing but black. Even the pain started to get dull. His own sobbing sounded distant and foreign. And before he knew it, he was sucked into a void.

Voldemort had watched Harry trying to break the glass, he had seen the mad resolve in his eyes as he wanted nothing but freedom. He had seen him fail and he had seen his hopes collapse. He had heard him scream and cry. It had been music to his ears. Hearing Harry wail and sob made him feel powerful. It was addicting. He had wanted him to scream forever but he noticed when his sobbing died down. He unlocked the door and stepped inside the room. Harry’s unconscious form on the carpet was illuminated by the moonlight seeping through the window. He made his way to him, bent down beside him and felt the wet carpet with his fingers. When he brought his fingers to eye level, he saw the crimson blood, Harry’s blood and he smiled viciously. He pointed his wand at Harry’s hands and healed the wounds. The blood flow stopped and Harry’ s breathing eased. He wiped his fingers on Harry’s hair. Watching Harry in pain was more satisfying than he had thought. He wanted to hear his wonderful screams go on and on. But Harry was his horcrux so he would have to be careful with his addiction. He cleaned the remaining blood from his fingers on Harry’s hair and stood up. As he walked to the threshold. He looked back at Harry and slowly spoke up,

“Good night, Harry. I hope you have the sweetest nightmares.”

And with that he left the room, locking the door behind him.


	14. Chapter 14

It had been two days since Harry had been senseless. Voldemort had left him in the state he had been when he had blacked out. He had checked on him thrice every day to make sure that he was still breathing. Currently he was seated in his throne as he discussed plans to take over the Ministry and Hogwarts. His death eaters were seated in front of him. Avery was giving his report on his progress at the ministry. Voldemort listened with apt attention. After all the death eaters were done with their reports. Voldemort noticed Lucius Malfoy and a malevolent grin adorned his features as a thought crossed his mind,

“Lucius, how old is your son?”

Lucius Malfoy’s face paled at hearing that question. He knew why the Dark Lord was asking that question. He bowed his hand and slowly spoke up,

“My lord, he is 15 years old.”

Voldemort’s grin widened. He had seen Harry’s enmity with the Malfoy scion. He wanted to see how Harry would react to his enemy now.

“Bring him to the next meeting, Lucius. Your son will help us conquer Hogwarts.”

“As you order, my lord.”

Suddenly Bellatrix spoke up,

“My lord, you promised that you would reward me. Won’t you let me have Harry Potter for a torture session?”

Voldemort’s grin was replaced by a menacing glare as he got to his feet. Bellatrix noticed the expression and her whole body started trembling. Voldemort pointed his wand at her,

“Say that name again, Bellatrix.”

Bellatrix’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, Voldemort shouted,

“SAY IT!!!!”

“Ha……. Harry P……...”

She couldn’t complete the sentence, as a curse struck her straight in the chest. She fell off the chair and writhed on the ground. Her screams reverberated through the hall. Voldemort walked to where she was writhing. He lifted the curse and she started kissing his feet,

“My lord……forgive me…. forgive me please.”

Voldemort rested his hand on her head.

“You are forgiven. Do not repeat the same mistake again.”

“Yes, my lord…...Thankyou……Thankyou. I seek nothing but your favour.”

Voldemort walked back to his throne and looked around.

“Harry’s name will not be spoken by any of you ever again. He will not be touched by any of you ever again. Is that understood?”

The death eaters spoke together in unison,

“Yes, my lord.”

Voldemort smiled in a satisfied manner,

“The time has come or us to take back what has been rightfully ours for years. I expect you all, my loyal death eaters, to start preparing for this task. And know that we will be victorious.”

The death eaters jeered at that,

“You are all dismissed. Oh, and Lucius, I am looking forwards to meeting your son.”

The death eaters filed out of the hall until it was empty. Voldemort sat down on his throne. Just as he took his seat, he felt that Harry was finally gaining consciousness. He stood up and apparated out of the hall immediately.

He appeared right outside the locked door. With a single flick of his wand he unlocked it and he saw Harry’s crumpled form on the floor stirring. He swept into the room, his black robes billowing behind him and in a single motion, he planted his shoe on Harry’s chest. Harry hadn’t opened his eyes yet. Voldemort pressed his foot down on his chest and Harry suddenly let out a weak cry in pain. He opened his eyes and the first thing his mind focused on was the pain in his chest. His eyes found a polished black shoe implanted on his chest. Immediately, he knew who it belonged to and he knew he was in big trouble.

Voldemort saw the recognition in Harry’s eyes and the fear that accompanied it. He knew that Harry remembered what he had done. Slowly Voldemort pressed his foot down deeper and Harry let out a scream. He struggled to get himself away but his body didn’t have enough strength to move. Slowly Voldemort lifted his foot off. Harry took several deep breaths and his hands immediately clutched the place where Voldemort’s shoe had been minutes ago. He closed his eyes tightly and turned his head to the side. He could feel Voldemort glaring daggers into him but he didn’t want to face him. Voldemort hadn’t taken away everything from him and now he wanted to take away his hope as well.

“Harry, stop acting like a pigeon. I assumed that you were braver than that.”

Harry didn’t open his eyes. He felt as if his head was spinning. He couldn’t recall what he had eaten the last time he had had a meal. Suddenly he felt a wave of pain course through his body, it felt as if every nerve inside his body was on fire. He screamed and cried in agony. But as soon as the pain had come it was gone. Harry got up on his knees with extreme difficulty. His body was still trembling from the after effects of the pain and malnourishment. And before he knew it he threw up on the carpet. His stomach lurched and ached. There was nothing inside his body that he could throw up except for the bitter yellow bile.

Voldemort watched as Harry threw up bile. He pointed his wand at the mess on the carpet and it vanished. Harry collapsed on his side again, his breathing was shallow and it looked like every breath was causing him pain. Harry’s hands continued to clutch his chest. Voldemort bent down beside him and slowly stroked his cheek and spoke in a soft condescending tone,

“Harry, you brought this upon yourself. Your choices directed you to this point. If you had chosen to ask for dinner instead of trying to break open the window, you would not be in this state. You deserve this, Harry, don’t you?”

Harry didn’t reply, Voldemort’s voice sounded too distant. He was retreating back into the darkness. He realized that he felt safe there. At least he didn’t have to feel anything there. But before he could fully sink into the void, he felt as if he was being pulled back towards the lights. His body felt like it had been doused in cold water. When he opened his eyes, he saw Voldemort’s crimson ones and he saw his dark smile and when he spoke, he could feel the taste the venom in his words,

“No more blackouts for you, Harry. It is time to come to your senses. If you don’t then I will make you come to your senses.”


	15. Chapter 15

Voldemort sat down on the bed and signalled Harry to get up on his feet. Harry knew that he would have to comply. Slowly he raised himself up into a kneeling position. He couldn’t stop the tremors raking through his body with every breath. Voldemort wandlessly levitated Harry off the floor and brought him in a sitting position, right next to him on the bed. Slowly he took his hands in his and gripped them tightly. Harry struggled with the non-existent strength in his body to pull his hands away,

“Stop struggling this instant, Harry. Or I will not hesitate to break your hands.”

Harry didn’t stop and continued his weak struggling. Voldemort’s grip grew impossibly tight on his wrists and before he could even blink, with a dull sickening sound, Harry felt his wrist bones shatter. His ear piercing, agonizing screams echoed through the silent castle. Voldemort continued to hold his broken hands but at that moment, Harry knew nothing but pain. His screams grew louder and louder until Voldemort cast a silencing charm on him. Tears raced down his cheeks in pain and he continued his soundless screaming,

“You brought this upon yourself. I told you not to struggle but you lack the ability to follow the simplest of commands. Next time, the penalty for disobeying me will be far worse. Now, you will bear this pain and this time I will not heal you so that you can understand the consequences of your actions.”

Voldemort slowly stroked his broken wrists,

“Ssssshhhh, Harry. I told you to save your tears. Do not make circumstances worse for yourself.”

Harry heard Voldemort’s words and he knew that Voldemort would get even more angry if he didn’t stop his crying but he didn’t know how to stop. The pain was too all consuming. He couldn’t think about anything other than the pain in his hands. Nevertheless, he tried to limit his crying and tried to distract his mind. Voldemort seemed happy by Harry’s progress. He took the silencing charm off him and a choked sob slipped through Harry’s lips. Voldemort lifted his finger to Harry’s lips,

“Hush now. You are responsible for your condition.”

Harry looked at his hands and he knew that they were broken because when he tried to move them, they wouldn’t budge. Another cry almost escaped his lips but he held it in and restrained himself. Voldemort smiled brightly when he saw that,

“Very good, Harry. But your good behaviour cannot take away your current punishment for disobedience.”

Harry’s mind raced. Voldemort had already punished him by breaking his hands. Was he going to punish him more? Voldemort noticed the fear in Harry’s eyes and beamed devilishly,

“I broke your hands because you did not obey when I told you not to struggle. The punishment for attempting to escape still remains to be dealt.”

Harry gulped in fear and looked away from Voldemort. He knew that if Voldemort had broken his wrists on a small matter such as disobedience, then the punishment for trying to escape would be a hundred times worse. Why couldn’t Dumbledore just come and save him? Why wasn’t the order doing anything? And then something occurred to him. But before he could stop himself, it rolled off his tongue in the form of a question,

“How long was I unconscious?”

Voldemort’s grin widened,

“It seems the cogs have started to turn in your mind. You were unconscious for two days. Would you like to see what the newspapers are saying about your disappearance?”

Harry wanted to say yes, he was burning to know. But he knew for a fact that if Voldemort was willing to tell him then it had to be something bad. After a few minutes of contemplation, Harry replied,

“No.”

Voldemort laughed emphatically at that,

“I will still tell you, Harry. The Daily Prophet reported that Dumbledore has told you to vanish from the scene so that your friends could act like you were kidnapped by me so that they can convince the magical world of my return. Do you know the best part of this entire story, Harry?”

Harry was in shock from Voldemort’s narrative of the entire matter, Voldemort spoke up again,

“Dumbledore did not deny the report. He failed to protect you once again.”

In the blink of an eye, Voldemort summoned a newspaper and pushed it into Harry’s lap. Harry stared down at a picture of himself from his trial at the ministry, and a large headline that read,

“Harry Potter... casualty or fabricator.”

Harry looked away from the newspaper as unwanted tears rose to his eyes. He restrained himself from crying with immense difficulty. Voldemort vanished the newspaper and slowly made Harry face him,

“Look at me, Harry.”

Harry looked at him and met his gaze,

“You are suffering for nothing. They will never care for you.”

“You don’t care for me either. At least they didn’t torture me.”

Harry knew his retort was going to earn him more pain but he didn’t care. He just wanted Voldemort to kill him. He was sick of everything. He was just so exhausted. He wanted to sleep and never wake up again. Voldemort had gotten to his feet. With a single swipe of his wand, Harry was laying spread eagled on the bed. Black ropes snaked their way over to him and coiled around his wrists and ankles, and then fastened themselves tightly around the bed posts. He was already incapable of moving his hands, now he was unable to move his entire body. Harry struggled to move but he couldn’t move a muscle. Voldemort pulled the black covers over his body,

“Make yourself comfortable, Harry. These restraints will only come off when you beg me to release you.”

Voldemort pointed his wand at the window and the space was filled by bricks, completely blocking the view of the orchard. After he was satisfied with his work, he left the room leaving Harry tied to the bed.


	16. Chapter 16

Harry tried moving but every time he attempted to move extreme pain shot through his wrists. He knew there was no point in struggling. There was no way he was ever going to get out of these restraints. Harry eventually stopped moving. He realized that as soon as he stopped moving, the pain ceased. He observed the ropes and realized that they were made with strands of silk. They weren’t anything like the ropes Bellatrix had restrained him with. They weren’t cutting into his skin. Harry looked at his restrained wrists and realized that when he wasn’t struggling, the ropes were acting like a sling, keeping his wrists in the optimal position for healing.

Harry buried his face in the pillow. He knew that Voldemort wanted him to believe he was caring for him. But Harry knew that this was outright manipulation and he wouldn’t allow himself to be manipulated. He wasn’t going to fall for Voldemort’s tricks. He took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. How had he ever gotten himself into this situation? He should have escaped from the ministry when he had the chance.

Harry felt his stomach rumble loudly. Even the Dursleys hadn’t starved him for more than 36 hours. He wondered if food would appear if he asked for it now, but he highly doubted it after he had incurred Voldemort’s wrath. And even if, food did appear, he wouldn’t be able to eat because of his broken, restrained wrists. He let out a sigh. He wondered if Sirius knew of his disappearance. He surely must not know because he knew that his godfather would turn the world upside down in search of him. Tears welled up in his eyes. It couldn’t be true. Everything Voldemort had told him must be a lie. It had to be a lie. Dumbledore would never abandon him. And then the river of tears that Harry had been holding back because of Voldemort flowed freely. Harry cried in despair. He cried until he was embraced by pure blissful sleep.

Voldemort sat in a comfortable armchair and clutched a small mirror in his long skeletal fingers. Through it he watched as Harry cried himself to sleep. He watched as Harry’s body relaxed, as his arms grew slack in the restraints and as the expression of utmost sorrow on his face morphed into one of peace and serenity. Those restraints had been necessary. He understood the fact that Harry thought of them as nothing but a punishment but they were in fact a means to allow Harry to rest. He realized that Harry wouldn’t refrain from harming himself in an attempt to escape. The boy lacked self-preservation. It was one of many things that he lacked. But the restraints would confine him from bringing any more harm to himself and they would also ensure his quick recuperation. He pointed his wand at the mirror and the view vanished. After getting up to his feet, he apparated away from the castle

Voldemort appeared in the meeting hall soundlessly. The tables and chairs had been removed. He sat down in his throne and calmly spoke,

“Enter.”

The death eaters entered the room in an organized manner. After their reverential bow, they remained on their knees,

“You may rise.”

The death eaters stood up and stood against the walls, leaving the space in between the hall empty,

“Lucius, where is your son?”

Lucius Malfoy pushed Draco ahead. Draco walked nervously to the dark lord and fell on his knees in front of him. He kissed the hem of his robes and retained his position.

In the very first glance, he knew that Draco was capable of the task, he had planned for him,

“Rise, Draco.”

Draco stood up but he kept his head bowed down, just as his father had taught him.

“I have a very important task for you, Draco. I am fairly certain that you will accomplish it and refrain from disappointing me.”

Draco kept his head bowed and murmured,

“My lord, I am yours to command.”

Voldemort laughed darkly,

“Lucius, your son has surpassed you in terms of respect. I admire your spirit, Draco.”

He looked around at his death eaters,

“My loyal servants, do you wish to know the task that our brave Mister Draco will accomplish?”

The death eaters all spoke yes in unison.

“Draco will play a pivotal role by aiding us in the task to infiltrate Hogwarts.”

The death eaters all cheered and jeered, Voldemort raised a hand to silence them,

“Draco, you will have two weeks to fix the vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts. Your time will start at the beginning of your next school year. There is an identical cabinet at Borgin and Burkes. The two cabinets form a pathway when they are both in working condition. You shall of course be trained for this task during your summer break. At the end of your training, you shall receive your mark. If you accomplish this task successfully, you shall be rewarded far beyond your wildest imaginations. But if you fail me then know that you and your family shall be executed. Is that clear, Draco?”

“Crystal, master.”

Voldemort chuckled intimidatingly and patted him on the head,

“I do wish that Harry had a fraction of your self-preservation and submission. But alas he is as persistent as they come.”

Voldemort felt a jerk run through Draco’s body at the mention of Harry’s name,

“But you know all about that, don’t you Draco? You’ve had him as your opponent for 5 years now, am I correct?”

Draco nodded and spoke,

“Yes, my lord. You are as precise as always.”

Voldemort chucked again,

“You will see him again very soon. I will make sure that he is present at your marking ceremony.”

Draco bowed down again,

“You may leave now; the details of your task will be provided to you by your father.”

Draco nodded curtly and walked out of the hall. Voldemort watched him as he left and then dismissed the rest of the death eaters. He conjured the mirror again and watched Harry sleep soundly. He stroked his image with one long pale finger.

“You’re mine, Harry………... All mine.”


	17. Chapter 17

It had been an entire day since Harry had fallen asleep and Voldemort realized that Harry wasn’t asleep, he was unconscious again. That was when he had decided to finally visit him. Voldemort unlocked the door to Harry’s room and soundlessly walked in. He crossed the span of the room in a few strides and slowly sat down on the bed. He ran a finger over the restraints and examined Harry’s broken wrists. They were healing well. Something about seeing Harry so defenceless and vulnerable stirred the desire to ravage him in Voldemort’s heart. He caressed Harry’s cheek softly and traced his lips gently. The thought of biting into them and tasting his blood made his mouth water. Voldemort gently turned Harry’s head to the side to expose his neck. A love bite against that pale skin would surely stand out and mark Harry as his own.

He pulled away the covers and removed Harry’s blood stained shirt with a flick of his wand. As soon as he witnessed Harry’s malnourished form, he was aroused. He vanished his own robes to reveal a black button up shirt and a pair of black leather pants. He tied his silky black hair back into a pony tail. He didn’t want anything to get in the way as he finally took Harry’s innocence and physically claimed him. He pointed his wand at Harry’s chest and spoke,

“evigilare faciatis”

Harry’s eyelids flickered and his breathing pattern changed. As soon as he opened his eyes, he was met with Voldemort’s dark gaze. Harry let out a gasp and attempted to get up but the restraints held him in place. As soon as he got his bearings, he realized that he was shirtless and Voldemort wasn’t wearing his usual robes. His mind was still working lucidly, he couldn’t understand what was happening. All he knew was that his heart was beating out of his chest and he was beyond terrified. He was about to say something when Voldemort held his finger to his lips,

“Ssshhh, Harry. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Harry’s eyes met Voldemort’s and he saw something different in them. Something he couldn’t recognize. It was petrifying him and he felt his lips move but no sound came out. Voldemort drew closer until he was over him. The fear in Harry’s eyes stimulated him further and he bent over Harry’s face so that their noses were touching. Understanding sparked in Harry’s eyes. It was lust. Voldemort’s eyes were burning with lust. Harry’s body instinctively tried to back away but Voldemort grabbed his jaw and kept his face close to him,

“I know that you are aware of what I am about to do to you. Tell me, Harry, are you a virgin?”

Harry’s eyes widened in fear. His worst fears were confirmed. He struggled against the restraints and tried to pull away but it was useless. Voldemort’s nails dug into his jaw and he laughed,

“It will hurt a lot more if you don’t stay still.”

Harry struggled desperately. He had to get away. He couldn’t let Voldemort defile him like this. He just couldn’t. But all thoughts were erased as Voldemort’s wonderfully soft lips met his. Voldemort was kissing him full on the lips. He couldn’t understand, how could a monster have such soft lips. Voldemort ran his wet tongue over his lips and kissed him more. Suddenly Voldemort’s hand gripped Harry’s head from behind and pushed him closer. Suddenly Voldemort bit into his lower lip and Harry let out a cry in pain. Blood flowed freely from the ruptured lip and Voldemort sucked it all up eagerly. He vanished his clothes wandlessly and pulled down Harry’s jeans with his free hand. As soon as Harry felt the cool air strike his exposed member, he struggled harder than ever. Voldemort grasp tightened on the back of his head and slowly whispered in Harry’s ear,

“Are you aware of the fact that your despair is exciting me?”

Voldemort bit on his ear lobe and proceeded to ravaging his lips further. Harry didn’t know what to do but he just couldn’t lay idly when Voldemort was destroying him. He attempted to move again. Voldemort’s lips made their way to his neck and Harry tried to pull himself away. But all his efforts to get some distance between himself and Voldemort were futile. Before he could start his efforts start anew, Harry felt Voldemort’s teeth sink into his neck and pierce his skin. A loud agonizing cry escaped his lips.

Voldemort held Harry by his head and kept his teeth sunk in for a minute or so while Harry cried in agony. He felt his erection grow stone hard and he could feel the precum flowing. With his free hand, he slowly spread it over the entire length and then brought his finger close to Harry’s mouth. He forced his finger in his mouth. Harry’s crying grew muffled with the insertion of Voldemort’s finger in his mouth. As soon as he tasted the salty buttermilk kind of taste on his tongue, he knew what Voldemort was trying to feed him. Harry tried to bite Voldemort’s finger and move his head but Voldemort held him in place,

“Suck my finger clean like a good boy and do not dare to even think of using your teeth.”

He wouldn’t suck. He would die but he wouldn’t swallow. Harry suddenly gagged but Voldemort held him in place. Harry felt as if he would choke. His body rebelled against his mind and sucked the disgusting finger. Voldemort smirked in satisfaction and pulled the finger out. Harry gagged again and he would have thrown up if there was anything present in his stomach. Voldemort grabbed him by the hair and turned him over, so that Harry was lying flat on his stomach with his ass exposed.

Harry knew what was coming and he knew he wouldn’t be able to bear it. He struggled but it was impossible in the position he was and the restraints that had tightened around his wrists and ankles. His mind only saw one way out of this and slowly he pleaded in a broken voice,

“No……please don’t……don’t do this to me……. I’ll do anything……...just don’t…...”

Voldemort kept a tight hold on his hair and slowly whispered in his ear,

“After tonight, you will do anything I desire anyway. Bid farewell to your chastity, Harry”

And with those words, Harry felt his entire world being consumed by pain as Voldemort swiftly entered him with super human strength. He screamed at the top of his lungs and Voldemort pulled at his hair harder as he thrust into him repeatedly. Harry’s screams and Voldemort’s animalistic grunts and groans were the only sound echoing through the empty castle. Voldemort’s thrusting grew rougher and faster and Harry’s screams increased in octaves. Tears flowed down his cheeks freely as he felt that Voldemort would rip him apart. After what felt like ages to Harry, Voldemort pulled out of him and came all over his bare back. Harry’s screams were replaced by uncontrollable sobbing. Voldemort turned him over and made him gaze into those burning crimson orbs,

“You are mine…...utterly and irrevocably mine now.”


	18. Chapter 18

Harry couldn’t control the tremors going through his body. He couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. Voldemort was still holding him, he was saying something but Harry couldn’t discern anything. It was like his mind was working in slow motion. When Voldemort finally released him, Harry turned his head to the side and stared into empty space as his silent crying continued.

Voldemort released Harry and watched him as he stared into empty space. He saw various emotions dance across his face but the most dominant expression was fear. Voldemort laid down beside him and slowly wrapped one arm around Harry’s midsection and pulled him close. A sob escaped Harry’s lips at the touch and he tried to pull away. Voldemort knew that Harry couldn’t move, no matter how much he tried. Gently he made Harry face him,

“Look at me, Harry.”

Harry closed his eyes. He felt Voldemort’s fingers clench his jaw tightly.

“If you don’t open your eyes then be prepared for another session.”

At those words, Harry’s eyes flew open and he stared directly into Voldemort’s. Voldemort saw the terror those words had ensued and smiled,

“Tell me, Harry. Did it taste good?”

It took a few seconds for Harry’s brain to process the question, but when it finally did, Harry retched. He could still feel the foul taste lingering on his tongue. He just wanted to wash his mouth with acid, in fact he wanted to wash his entire being with acid. But he doubted that even the strongest acid in the world would be able to cleanse him again. Voldemort had violated him, he had taken away his purity and nothing in the world could change that fact. Nothing could take it away. Harry suddenly let out a groan as Voldemort grabbed his hair,

“I asked you a question, Harry.”

Harry felt his eyelids growing heavy, Voldemort’s voice sounded too distant. He could feel nothing but the agonizing pain in his lower body and his head. He could feel his vision growing fuzzy.

 Voldemort realized that Harry was blacking out again. He pointed his wand at Harry’s chest and Harry came around with a gasp. Voldemort patted his cheek softly,

“It’s not time to sleep yet.”

Harry didn’t know what Voldemort wanted from him. He had already taken everything he had had left.

“What more do you want from me? I don’t have anything more to offer to you. You’ve already taken everything. Just kill me………...You said you would release me from the restraints if I begged so I’m begging you……...Please release me from these restraints and this life permanently………. I CAN’T LIVE LIKE THIS!!!!!........Please……”

When Harry was finished, Voldemort laughed cruelly. He pulled Harry closer to himself so that their bodies were touching.

“This is your fate, Harry. Accept it.”

Harry tried to pull himself away but Voldemort held him tightly. Voldemort buried his face in the crook of his neck and inhaled deeply,

“Your scent is exquisite now, Harry. It has just the right amount of fear and sex in it.”

Harry cringed at Voldemort’s touch and tried to pull away. He couldn’t let Voldemort win. Voldemort stroked the mark that his bite had left on Harry’s neck and gently pressed it with his finger. Harry let out a hiss as pain sparked to life in it.

“This is my proof of ownership. I own you now, physically and mentally.”

Harry wanted to say something in retaliation but he just didn’t have the words for it. He felt broken and defeated. He was desperate to see a single ray of hope but there was none. Hope did not shine in Voldemort’s dark kingdom. Another voice came to life in his mind, the voice of recklessness and his Gryffindor courage. How can you give up now? You still have your friends, that are trying to rescue you. You cannot let the dark win. You cannot let Voldemort win. Harry was snatched off his train of thought as he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He had forgotten that he was starving. His stomach grumbled loudly and Harry was sure that Voldemort had heard the sound.

Voldemort was watching the determination build up again in Harry’s eyes. The boy was just too strong willed. But no matter, he treasured challenges and breaking Harry was the finest one of them. The sound of Harry’s stomach grumbling, broke the silence in the room. He looked at Harry, who had a slight hint of embarrassment on his face,

“I had forgotten that you have not had a meal in days. No matter, you shall have it now.”

Voldemort cleared up the mess on the bed and cleaned Harry up with a flick of his wand. After that, he pointed his wand at Harry again and dressed him up in a pair of black silk trousers. Harry involuntarily sighed in relief at having the sensation of clothes back on his body. That did not go unnoticed by Voldemort,

“If you are not appreciative then I can take them back.”

Harry understood what Voldemort was implying and even though he didn’t want to say those words to the person who had just violated him so brutally, he still knew that he would have to, if he wanted to keep his body covered,

“Thankyou.”

Voldemort smiled triumphantly,

“That is certainly a start, Harry.”

Harry knew that he had never felt more humiliated in his life.


	19. Chapter 19

Harry felt his cheeks redden with humiliation. He didn’t think he could sink any lower than this. Voldemort summoned some food and immediately a tray laden with a bowl full of steaming hot soup appeared on the side table. Harry expected Voldemort to take off the restraints but that didn’t happen. Instead the ropes grew in length, just enough to allow Harry to sit up straight.

“Sit up, Harry.”

Harry attempted to sit up but the pain in his lower body became worse and a cry escaped his lips.

“You will get used to this, Harry. It won’t hurt the next time I violate you.”

Harry’s eyes widened in fear, his heartbeat grew out of control. He realized that he was hyperventilating. Voldemort caressed his cheek softly,

“You can avoid that, Harry. You just have to obey me. You don’t want me to hurt you like that again, do you?”

Harry immediately shook his head to say no. Voldemort smiled menacingly and patted his cheek softly,

“Atta boy, Harry. I hope that you will not disappoint me again.”

Voldemort gently pulled Harry up in a sitting position and picked up the bowl of soup from the tray. He filled up the spoon with soup and brought it close to Harry’s lips. Harry was extremely befuddled. Why was Voldemort feeding him? He knew that he wasn’t doing it out of the kindness in his heart because that bastard didn’t have a heart. If he had one he wouldn’t have abused him.

“Open your mouth.”

Harry hesitantly opened his mouth and Voldemort emptied the contents of the spoon in it. As soon as the soup touched his tongue, it was as if the dormant hunger woke up again. He realized how much he had been starving for food. At that moment, he didn’t care if Voldemort was spoon feeding him like a two-year-old. All that mattered was that he needed to insatiate his hunger. Voldemort fed him the rest of the soup and even when the bowl was empty, he was still starving. Voldemort conjured a glass of water and held it to Harry’s lips,

“Drink, Harry.”

Harry drank the water in a single gulp. Voldemort vanished the tray and the glass and conjured a small flask filled with a bright orange potion. Harry looked at it and wondered what it was for. Voldemort seemed to have read the question in his eyes because he answered it,

“This will help you with the pain.”

Why the hell was Voldemort acting so nice? Why was he acting like he cared when he clearly didn’t? If he had cared he wouldn’t have caused the pain in the first place, he wouldn’t have tortured him, broken his………... Suddenly his train of thought was derailed as he remembered that Voldemort had broken his wrists. He tried to move them, tried to feel any kind of pain in that region but there wasn’t any pain and he was able to move them against the restraints. Now when he came to think of it, they hadn’t hurt when he had been struggling against Voldemort a few minutes ago. That meant that Voldemort had healed them earlier when he had been unconscious.

Voldemort saw that Harry was in deep thought. He could tell by the way Harry’s eyes glazed over and the manner in which he stared into nothingness. But he knew that Harry wasn’t aware of the fact that his face showed everything he thought. When Harry was thinking about something that made him angry, his face displayed that anger. His eyebrows would knit together and his forehead got creased. Similarly, when he was thinking something that made him afraid, his eyes would depict that fear perfectly. He snapped his fingers and Harry eyes came into focus.

“Drink, Harry.”

Harry opened his mouth tentatively and drank. He didn’t have much to lose anyway. He took a gulp and Voldemort pulled away the bottle and vanished it. The potion seemed to work instantly because all the pain from his entire body completely vanished without a trace. He tried feeling for it but it was gone completely. Harry decided that if he didn’t ask Voldemort the questions then he would most certainly go insane,

“Why did you heal me? And if you were going to heal me eventually then why did you cause all that pain?”

Voldemort laughed ominously at that,

“I get pleasure from instigating pain upon you, I relish your screams, I adore your cries and I love watching you writhe in agony bestowed upon you by me.”

“But then why heal me? Why not just leave me in pain and get more pleasure?”

Voldemort grabbed Harry by his shoulders and made him look up so their eyes were level with each other,

“Because if I leave you in pain then you will die and I do not plan on letting you die. You are too delicious and entertaining to be wasted like that.”

He licked Harry’s cheek softly and Harry cringed at that and hit his head against the headboard. He just wanted to sink into the mattress and vanish. Voldemort’s plans for him were terrifying and he was starting to prefer death a lot.

Voldemort loved the way Harry recoiled from his touch. He let go of him and made him lie down again. When Voldemort was adjusting the length of the ropes again, Harry noticed that Voldemort was still naked. He saw that Voldemort had an extremely well built body. If anyone saw him like this, they would surely think of him as a Greek god just like Harry was thinking at the moment. But then a thought occurred in his mind. Hades was a Greek god as well and he was evil. This is what Hades would look like if he were real.

“Hades would cower at my feet if he were real.”

At first Harry didn’t realize what Voldemort had said but then with a pang, it struck him. Voldemort had just read his thoughts. His eyes widened in realization and Voldemort laughed devilishly.


	20. Chapter 20

Voldemort gently tapped Harry’s forehead with his finger.

“Your thoughts are very amusing, Harry. I should read them more often. Honestly, Harry, there can be no comparison between Hades and I. Hades would be ranked lower than my death eaters.”

Harry looked down and tried to remember if he had made eye contact with Voldemort when he had been thinking all that. He was confident that he hadn’t made eye contact because Voldemort had been adjusting the restraints at that moment.

“How did you read my thoughts? Dumbledore and Snape both told me that eye contact was necessary for Occlumency.”

“Harry, that is essentially correct for ordinary wizards but I am no ordinary wizard so I do not need eye contact to read your thoughts or anyone’s thoughts for that matter.”

When he remembered Snape, another question blossomed in his mind,

“Is Snape a spy?”

Voldemort chuckled softly at that,

“His loyalty remains to be tested.”

“But he was a death eater, I saw the mark on his forearm.”

Voldemort extended his hand to touch him but Harry instinctively recoiled. Slowly Voldemort carded his fingers through Harry’s hair,

“Snape’s loyalty will be tested very soon. If he is loyal to me then he shall be allowed to re-join my ranks but if he is a traitor, then he will be terminated.”

That left Harry’s mind buzzing with questions. He didn’t know whether he should ask them or not. He didn’t even know if he should be having this conversation with his captor.

“I will answer all your questions, Harry. But for now, it is time for you to rest. Sleep, Harry.”

It was as if his brain was waiting for Voldemort’s command because as soon as he told him to sleep, everything began to grow dim and distant. He felt the darkness closing in and before he knew it, he was engulfed by it.

Voldemort watched as Harry’s eyelids drooped and he fell asleep. He continued to card his fingers through Harry’s unruly black locks. He had violated Harry in the hopes that he would break completely but only a fraction of his persistent spirit had been broken. However, he had managed to get Harry to dread it. He knew that Harry would do anything to avoid it. Slowly he pulled the covers over him and kissed his scar softly. Harry moaned in his sleep. Voldemort removed his glasses and observed them. There were numerous scratches and a few cracks. He repaired them with his wand and placed them on the side table. He wondered why Dumbledore hadn’t fixed his eyesight? He himself could give Harry perfect vision with just a flick of his wand but he knew that Harry’s dependence on his glasses was something he could use to his advantage.

He got up from the bed and clothed himself in a black night robe. He walked out of the room and made his way down the corridor. He had only gone a little distance when Harry’s screams penetrated the flawless silence of the castle. He smirked viciously and made his way back to the room. Harry was writhing and screaming on the bed. His wrists moving desperately against the ropes in the hope to get out of them. His feet kicking helplessly as far as the restraints would allow them. He walked close to Harry and his smirk widened. Harry was being violated by him all over again in his nightmare.

He conjured a seat besides the bed and sat down. He hadn’t expected Harry to have nightmares about it and yet here he was struggling and writhing against his imaginary tormentor. His scream grew louder and Voldemort took immense pleasure in that. It went on for hours until Harry’s screams grew weak and his struggling ceased. His wrists grew limp in the restraints and his feet lay still. Voldemort stood up and took a closer look at Harry. His entire body was soaked in sweat and his breathing was uneven. Slowly Voldemort disentangled Harry from the covers and wiped away the sweat with a single flick of his wand. Harry’s breathing gradually came back to normal.

Voldemort walked out of the room and made his way to his room. He made his way to the balcony and looked at the rising sun. The sky was a beautiful mixture of various hues of red, orange and yellow. He watched as the numerous flowers in the orchard blossomed and covered the ground in a whirlwind of colours. He was sure that one day Harry would enjoy this wonderful view beside him. A small blue bird landed on the balcony railing and began chirping. Voldemort conjured a bowl full of seeds and placed it on the railing for the bird. He watched how the bird ate a few seeds and fluttered away. After a little while it returned with an entire flock of birds. Voldemort chuckled darkly at that as it gave him an idea. He took the bird on his finger and stroked its tiny head,

“You are very intelligent, little one.”

The bird chirped loudly and nuzzled his head into Voldemort’s finger,

“Fly away, little one. Bring me news from Hogwarts.”

The bird nodded its head and flew away.

Voldemort watched as the rest of the birds ate and then flew in the same direction as the first bird.

Voldemort watched them until they vanished into the horizon. He made his way back inside the room and observed the map spread on the table. He moved his finger over Hogwarts and traced the dark mark over it. Immediately an ink drawn mark appeared over the map. Within three months, Hogwarts and the rest of Britain would be his to rule and all opposition would be crushed. He could see it all coming true and Harry playing a pivotal role in the implementation of his plans. Yes, he would keep Harry beside him as he took over Britain. People would lose hope just by observing Harry’s obedience to him.

“It shall all be mine very soon.”


	21. Chapter 21

When Harry woke up, before opening his eyes, he wished that it would all be a nightmare and he would wake up in Hogwarts or Privet Drive. Harry took a deep breath and opened his eyes cautiously. He was met with the fuzzy sight of a dark stone ceiling. He realized that Voldemort must have taken his glasses. He let out a sigh and closed his eyes again. He tried moving his wrists but the restraints held him in place. He didn’t know how long he had been asleep and he had no way of knowing what time of the day it was. Slowly he rolled over on his side and buried his face in the pillow. He recalled the events that had occurred last night and his eyes brimmed with tears again. Even though Voldemort had taken away the pain, something was still aching badly inside him. He just wanted to die. A howl escaped his lips but the pillow muffled it. He cried freely and kept his face in the pillow.

Voldemort watched Harry as he awakened and cried again through his mirror. He put away the mirror and stood up. He rolled up the letters he had written for the various creature lords and vanished them. Silently, he made his way through the castle and reached Harry’s room. He opened the door soundlessly and made his way inside,

“Harry, what did I tell you about crying?”

Harry’s body immediately tensed up and he wiped away the tears immediately. But he didn’t make any move to turn around and face Voldemort,

“Look at me and answer me.”

Harry knew that he would have to comply. Slowly he turned around and saw Voldemort standing with the most furious expression on his face. Harry knew that lying would only make things worse so he decided to go with the truth,

“I couldn’t help it. Even though you healed me, something is still aching inside me. It won’t let me breathe. I feel like I’ll suffocate.”

Voldemort’s rage changed into an expression of amusement. He sat down on the edge of the bed and brought Harry up into a sitting position,

“Tell me more, Harry.”

Harry looked at Voldemort with complete bewilderment. Voldemort smiled softly and even though Harry knew it was fake, he still wanted to feel encouraged by that smile,

“I don’t know what more to tell you.”

Voldemort laughed cheerily, the same musical laugh that was so different from his evil one. Harry was beginning to think of Voldemort as two different people.

“Before you decide to get carried away by your thoughts, you shall have breakfast.”

Voldemort summoned a tray laden with all sorts of breakfast items, there were eggs, omelettes, sausages, toast and pancakes. The overwhelming scent of food erased all other thoughts from his mind and he felt his stomach grumble hungrily.

“Pick your breakfast, Harry”

Harry looked down at the tray and tried to decide the best item that would end his hunger, so he picked the pancakes. Voldemort picked up the plate full of blueberry pancakes topped with maple and blueberry syrup and freshly ground cinnamon and vanished the rest of the tray. He had just picked up the knife and fork when Harry spoke up,

“Can I eat by myself please? You can restrain me again after I’m done.”

Voldemort considered the request and then immediately the ropes uncoiled from Harry’s wrists but he saw that the ropes around his ankles stayed in place. Harry stretched his arms and flexed his fingers. It felt good to be finally free of the bonds. Voldemort extended the plate to him and Harry took it hesitantly,

“Um……...Thank you.”

Voldemort smiled jubilantly and signalled Harry to eat. Harry picked up the knife and fork and started eating. Voldemort observed him while he ate. He saw that Harry was truly famished. The boy didn’t even know that it was almost midnight and he had slept the entire day away. He enjoyed the power he had over him. He could control when Harry’s day started and when it ended. Voldemort noticed that Harry was finished. He summoned a glass of cold pumpkin juice and handed it to Harry, Harry took it and was about to down it in one gulp when Voldemort stopped him,

“Drink it slowly.”

Harry drank it in small sips. Voldemort vanished the plate and the empty glass. He pointed his wand at the restraints and Harry watched as they made their way back to his wrists. He bowed his hand and let them coil around his wrists again and before he knew it, he was bound again. Voldemort patted his head softly,

“Resign yourself to your fate and your life will become much simpler.”


	22. Chapter 22

Harry noticed that the restraints were loose enough for him to move his arms a little. Voldemort picked up the glasses and placed them on the bridge of Harry’s nose. Immediately everything came into clearer focus and he wondered how he had managed to eat his pancakes with his extremely blurry vision. He realized that he could see much clearer with his glasses. Voldemort must have fixed them too,

“From today, I shall leave a book with you and you shall study. At the end of the day, upon my return, I shall test you on the material you have learned throughout the day. Is that clear?”

Harry nodded quietly. Voldemort summoned a book titled, “Magic and its true origins.” He placed it in Harry’s lap and turned up the lights in the room,

“For today, you shall read chapter one and chapter two. Study them thoroughly and learn everything carefully. I will not hear any excuses if you fail to pass the test at the end of the day. Is that understood?”

Harry kept his head down and spoke,

“Yes.”

Voldemort left the room silently. When Harry lifted his head, he was gone. He stared blankly at the title for a few minutes. He looked around the room in hopes of finding a clock or any means to know what time it was. There was nothing. On top of that he had lost the window as well because of his foolishness. He turned his attention back to the book and opened it. He started reading and with every sentence he began to realize that the knowledge in the book was a contradiction to everything that he had been taught about magic till now. He knew that Voldemort was trying to feed him his concept of magic and how it worked but Harry couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe anything that Voldemort told him. But his mind was eager to learn more because this knowledge was more logical and it attracted his attention.

Out of pure curiosity he had read four extremely lengthy chapters of the book and he was about to read more when he heard the door open.  Harry looked up to find Voldemort standing in the doorway. He wondered why Voldemort had returned so early and he decided to voice that question,

“Ummm……you’re early.”

Voldemort’s blank face was immediately graced with an amused smirk,

“How long do you think, I was away?”

Harry thought on that for a while,

“Maybe two hours.”

Voldemort outright laughed and Harry wondered what he had said wrong,

“I was away for 15 hours, Harry. It looks as if like you were too immersed in the book. Harry looked down at the book and immediately realized that he had read more than Voldemort had told him to. Voldemort drew closer and noticed it too. He picked the book from Harry’s lap and looked through the chapters,

“Did you enjoy it, Harry?”

Harry didn’t make eye contact with Voldemort. He stared down in his lap at the spot where the book had been moments ago.

“It’s…………It can’t be true. I was taught the exact opposite of this at Hogwarts.”

When Harry finally decided to look up he saw that Voldemort had vanished his outer robes revealing a deep purple silk shirt and a black pair of form fitting pants. Harry couldn’t take his eyes off Voldemort’s perfect appearance. Everything about him exhumed power. He wondered if he ever took his robes off in front of his death eaters.

“They do not receive the pleasure of seeing me in this attire.”

Harry looked down in his lap again and he knew that he was blushing hard.

Voldemort held Harry’s chin gently and made him look up,

“I know what you are wondering, Harry. Why do I let you see me in this apparel? The answer to that is I do not place you in the same category as my death eaters. You are different. As stubborn as you are, you are unique.”

Harry’s expression were a mix of confusion and fear. Voldemort could read his thoughts as clearly as a book,

“I do not need to violate them, Harry. They grovel at my feet for an opportunity to warm my bed.”

That seemed to spark something in Harry’s eyes, something akin to anger and determination,

“I won’t grovel at your feet for that.”

Voldemort’s grip tightened on his chin,

“No, you will not. You will plead me not to take you to my bed.”

The spark in Harry’s eyes died with that statement. Voldemort released his chin and sat down on the edge of the bed. He asked the first question,

“What is the source of magic?”

It took Harry a few minutes to recollect his thoughts and he remembered what he had read and answered the question confidently. Voldemort smirked in satisfaction and asked one question after the other and Harry was surprised at how well he recalled all the details. After Harry had answered the last question, Voldemort clapped his hands thrice,

“I must admit that I’m highly satisfied with your reading skills and your ability to learn. But I have one more question for you. If you found the knowledge so conflicting, then why did you bother to learn it?”

Harry found that he had no answer to that question. He couldn’t understand it himself. He had never been able to recall information this quickly at Hogwarts. He had never studied anything extra at Hogwarts. Hermione had always been the smart one in their trio.

Voldemort spoke up again,

“I know why you learnt it all. It appealed to you, Harry. Deep down your brain found it more logical than the garbage they taught you at Hogwarts.”

Harry shook his head in denial but something in his head screamed that Voldemort was right. Everything that he had studied today made more sense than all his five-year magical education combined.

“Deny it all you want, Harry. But denial will not help you. I have already told you that acceptance and resignation will make your life much easier.”

Harry kept his eyes down. Voldemort patted Harry’s head softly,

“Since you performed more than my expectations today, I will permanently remove the restraints around your wrists.”

Voldemort pointed his wand at the restraints and the ropes around his wrists vanished. Harry knew what Voldemort was expecting,

“Thankyou.”

Voldemort stroked his heads softly,

“If you keep this up, you will earn further privileges.”

Harry nodded his head and kept his eyes down.

“I believe that it’s time for your dinner. You must be famished after all the studying you have done.”

Voldemort conjured a plate laden with a steaming hot steak with a side of mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. He extended it to Harry, who took it as cautiously as always. Harry picked up the knife and fork and started eating and in a matter of minutes, he was finished. Voldemort conjured a glass of water for him and told him to drink. Harry drank the water slowly. With a wave of his wand he vanished the empty glass and plate,

“Lie down, Harry. It is time for you to sleep.”

Harry laid down and it was as if sleep had been waiting to embrace him because as soon as his head hit the pillow, he fell asleep. Voldemort smiled in satisfaction and conjured a seat. He sat down and waited with patience. After an hour of waiting, it began. Harry started screaming and thrashing around the bed and Voldemort watched with an evil, twisted expression on his face. Harry’s nightmares were proof of his dominance over him and that was one of the reasons he savoured them. Just like last time it went on for hours. When Harry’s screams died down, Voldemort stood up and left the room silently.


	23. Chapter 23

Harry’s life revolved around the same routine for what seemed to him like months. He woke up, had breakfast and then he spent the rest of the day reading. At night, Voldemort would return to test him, he had dinner and then he fell asleep.

 On most days, when Harry found the book uninteresting, he wouldn’t be able to answer a single one of Voldemort’s questions and on those days the restraints around his wrists would return and Voldemort denied him food until he passed the test. Harry had also gotten his fair share of physical pain due to his insubordination and recklessness.

Currently he was tightly bound and starving. He hadn’t been able to learn the dynamics of spell casting for two days in a row and he knew he wasn’t going to have much luck today either. The topic was too advanced for him to grasp and memorize. The restraints were so tight around his wrists and ankles, that Harry felt his hands and feet going numb because of the lack of blood flow. He felt light headed and extremely faint. He rested his head against the headboard and closed his eyes and almost immediately passed out.

Voldemort entered the room and found Harry senseless. The boy had been restrained to that bed for a month now but his foolishness and stubbornness had not lessened an inch. Of course, the boy still feared his threats of physically violating him and those threats tamed him for a day or two but after that his recklessness would raise its head again. He crossed the room in a single stride and found the book laying open in Harry’s lap. He picked it up and set it down on the side table. With a flick of his wand he brought Harry back to consciousness.

Harry woke up with a start. He felt as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice cold water over him. It didn’t take long for him to guess that Voldemort had returned and that he was furious. Harry straightened up as much as his bonds allowed him and looked at Voldemort face, which was a good description of pure wrath and fury.

“Harry, did you bother reading today?”

Harry tried to remember a single concept, something, anything that he could say that he had learned that day but nothing came to his mind. In the blink of an eye, Voldemort was bent over him and holding him by his hair,

“You are starting to take my leniency for granted. I think I ought to have another session with you, a little rendezvous with your anus…. hmmm…. what do you think, Harry?”

To say that Harry was terrified would be an understatement. He was outright horrified. His heart was threatening to beat out of his chest and his breathing had grown abnormally fast and shallow. Harry’s eyes rolled back into their sockets and his body began to thrash around wildly. Voldemort let go of his hair and watched Harry as he had a fit.

It wasn’t the first time, Harry was convulsing like that. It had happened twice before during the past month. Voldemort had grown worried the first time it happened but when he diagnosed Harry, he realized that it was a psychological problem. The nightmares that Harry had every single night played a major role in building up the fear Harry felt when Voldemort threatened him about physically abusing him. They had made physical violation his worst fear. Right now, Harry was living his nightmare all over again. Voldemort watched with satisfaction as Harry’s thrashing and writhing increased. If he weren’t restrained, he would have fallen off the bed. After a few minutes, Harry became still. Voldemort drew closer to him and moved his fingers through Harry’s sweat soaked Harry,

“You should have learnt your lesson by now, Harry.”

Harry’s body trembled feebly and a low cry escaped his lips. Tears streamed down his cheeks. Voldemort wiped away the tears,

“I have said this to you so many times now, Harry. Save your tears. Things will always end in tears for you if you do not change your ways.”

Voldemort wrapped an arm around Harry’s waist and kissed his scar gently. Harry’s eyes closed and he passed out into the black sea of unconsciousness.

Voldemort felt Harry’s body grow limp and he laid him down on the bed. He pulled the covers over him and smirked in pleasure. Harry’s psychological state had given him more control over Harry and he had no plans of ever relinquishing that control. Harry’s fear was his greatest strength.


	24. Chapter 24

When Harry woke up the next day, the first thing he saw was Voldemort sitting in an arm chair next to the bed. He remembered what had happened and buried his face in the pillow, he didn’t have the courage to deal with Voldemort’s smug comments.

“Get up, Harry. You cannot evade me forever.”

Harry half-heartedly sat up straight but kept his head down.

“Do you remember how you passed out?”

Harry thought about it for a while, he couldn’t remember anything after Voldemort had threatened to violate him. He was certain that he had passed out again due to starvation,

“I passed out because I was starving.”

Voldemort smirked. He was satisfied with the reply,

“Do you remember what I said before that?”

Harry’s breath caught in his throat and he gulped in fear. He wanted to say something but he found himself unable to utter a single word

“I asked you a question, Harry.”

After a lot of effort, Harry managed to nod his head. Voldemort’s smirk widened,

“Good, I want you to remember what I am capable of doing to you. Do not take my mercy for granted. I can crush you in the blink of an eye. Do you understand me, Harry?”

Harry nodded his head again shakily.

“Speak up, Harry.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Voldemort chuckled and then in the blink of an eye, he was sitting next to Harry and holding his chin,

“Call me Sir, Harry.”

Harry didn’t know how he could ever call Voldemort that. He knew he could never bring himself to call him Sir. Voldemort’s grip tightened on Harry’s chin,

“I will not repeat myself.”

Harry kept telling himself that it was just a word but he knew very well that it wasn’t a word and this wasn’t a one-time thing. He would have to address him as Sir every time if he said it right now.

“Very well, Harry. You have left me no choice.”

Harry felt Voldemort’s arms wrap around his waist. Voldemort drew closer and started licking Harry’s neck. Harry started struggling. He tried to pull away but the restraints along with Voldemort’s inhuman grasp kept him in place. His breathing was shallow, tears streamed down his eyes. He had to avoid this, he had to stop this at any cost,

“Please stop…...S…. Sir”

Voldemort held him place but stopped licking. Harry stared emptily at the wall as Voldemort’s eyes bore into him,

“Say it again, Harry.”

Harry struggled with his words for a bit but then finally spoke up,

“Stop, Sir.”

Voldemort grin had widened impossibly and his expression was that of pure exhilaration and triumph. As soon as Voldemort released him, Harry slumped back against the head board and closed his eyes tightly. He felt as if he had accepted defeat for the first time. Today he felt as if Voldemort had truly won over him.

“There is a highly significant meeting taking place in a few days. Dignitaries from several magical creatures shall be present there. I am aware that you are wondering about why I am informing you of this event. The reason behind that is very simple. You shall be attending the meeting.”

At those words, Harry immediately looked up,

“What?”

Voldemort tsked,

“What did I just teach you, Harry.”

Harry thought about what he would say to any of his professors at Hogwarts and then spoke up again,

“I don’t understand what you mean, Sir.”

Harry knew that Voldemort was aware of his thoughts. Nonetheless, Voldemort was pleased with the reply,

“You will be making your first public appearance, Harry. I intend to train you for that.”

Harry couldn’t believe that Voldemort was going to take him to an important meeting. He realized that Voldemort didn’t consider him a threat anymore. He wanted to ask so many questions,

“Sir, what is the meeting about?”

Voldemort was extremely happy with Harry’s curiosity. He was ecstatic about the fact that Harry had already started to address him as Sir. He had expected more resistance from the boy.

“That is none of your concern. Your only concern is being on your best behaviour during the entirety of the meeting.”

Harry knew that there were going to be nothing but dark wizards present there and the magical creatures that Voldemort had mentioned were probably all dark as well.

“Why are you taking me to the meeting, Sir.”

Voldemort cupped his face with both hands and pulled him closer so that their eyes were level.

“You will be attending the meeting because you are my trophy, Harry. You are my crown jewels. You are my most prized possession. I will flaunt you in front of everyone as a demonstration of my impending victory.”

Harry closed his eyes. Voldemort was absolutely right. His status was of nothing more than a mere possession now. Maybe Dumbledore had considered him as a possession as well. And now when Voldemort had taken him, he had forgotten about him just as people forgot about their lost possessions. He felt his eyes burning with tears and before he could stop himself, he started crying. How could Dumbledore forsake him like that? How could his friends forget about him? He had surrendered himself for them. He was in this hell because of them and they had just given up on him. They had vowed to fight with him and now it seemed as if he was the only one fighting and losing. Harry felt Voldemort wipe away the tears from his cheeks,

“You are wasting your tears. You will require them in the future.”

Harry took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down. Voldemort let go of Harry’s face and studied it,

“You look awfully emaciated, Harry. As cruel as I may be, I do not want to give people the impression that I have been a wicked host to you. From today, you shall have all three meals during the day and your task starting today is to read as many books as you can on diplomacy and diplomatic relations between wizards and magical creatures. In order to accomplish this task, I will give you full access to my private library.”

Hope blossomed in Harry’s chest like a flower at the arrival of spring time. That meant Voldemort was going to let him out of the restraints. He was going to be able to walk around again and leave this accursed room.

“Harry, before I remove your restraints, you must assure me of your obedience.”

Obedience……Now that he thought of it, he had started obeying Voldemort, the night he had arrived in front of him. It felt like he had surrendered ages ago,

“I’ll obey, Sir.”

Voldemort grinned evilly and Harry saw the malicious glint in his eyes,

“Good boy.”

Voldemort patted his head softly and with a flick of his wand, the restraints uncoiled from his wrists and ankles and vanished. Harry let out a sigh in relief and flexed his toes and stretched out his legs on the bed. Voldemort stood up and signalled Harry to get up. Harry swung his legs off the bed and as soon as he attempted to stand up, his legs trembled and he fell back on the bed. After a month of disuse, his legs were not ready to bear his weight.

Voldemort observed Harry’s attempt at standing up. He had known the outcome of his attempt beforehand but there was something about the sight of him falling that had him hooked. He knew that eventually Harry would eventually have to depend on him for support. Voldemort watched as Harry made another attempt to get up on his feet but this time as he was about to fall, Voldemort wrapped his arm around his slender waist and held him on his feet.

As soon as he felt Voldemort’s arm around his waist, he tried to cringe away but he was also aware of the fact that Voldemort was the only thing keeping him vertical at the moment. He tried to find his balance but his legs refused to keep him up.

“Try to take a step, Harry.”

With tremendous effort, Harry managed to lift his leg in order to take a step. Now he certainly felt like a two-year-old because just as Voldemort had spoon fed him, he was teaching him to walk now as well. Harry took a deep breath and dismissed all those thoughts. He focused on taking one step after the other and soon enough, with Voldemort’s support, he had managed to make it to the divan. Voldemort sat him down and spoke softly,

“Take a break, Harry. We will continue this in a few minutes.”

He vanished from the room like lightening. He appeared in a dark dungeon with a gleeful Bellatrix already present there. As soon as Voldemort appeared, she collapsed on her knees in front of him and kissed his boots,

“My lord…….”

Her sentence was cut off as Voldemort raised his hand to silence her,

“What prompted you to call me in such urgency?”

Voldemort’s voice was laced with irritation and fury. He had been on the brink of making Harry realize how much he was dependant on him and Bellatrix’s continuous calls had ruined the moment.

“My lord……. I found him.”

All the irritation and rage that he had been feeling seconds ago, vanished completely at that one sentence. A maniacal laugh escaped his lips as he thought about the future prospects. Everything was coming together nicely.

“Bring him to me, Bella.”

“Your wish is my command, master.”

Bella kissed his feet again and vanished.


	25. Chapter 25

Minutes turned into hours as Harry waited for Voldemort. He didn’t know why he was even waiting. His stomach grumbled noisily and he was starting to feel light headed again. He remembered what Voldemort had said about asking for anything he needed. He was tempted to ask but his self-esteem did not allow it. He attempted to stand up again but nearly fell again. If he could just make it to the wall, it would get easier to stand. Harry stood up again with what little support the divan was capable of providing. He tried to take a step but as soon as he lifted his foot, he felt his head spin and he staggered. In a matter of seconds, he was on his knees on the ground. He punched the ground in frustration. Why had everything gotten ten times harder?

Voldemort stared down in triumph at the unconscious figure at his feet. Fate was blessing him beyond his expectations. He waved his wand and a leather collar appeared in his hand. He bent down and grabbed the man by his long dirty hair and exposed his neck. He fastened the collar around his neck and then let his head fall back again.

“Wake him up, Bella.”

Bellatrix giggled like a child and proceeded to wake up the unconscious figure on the floor. Voldemort straightened up and watched as the man began to stir. Soon enough when he seemed to have gained complete awareness, he attempted to get up. His eyes scanned the room and when they landed on Voldemort and Bellatrix, they widened with shock. Almost immediately the shock was replaced by a maddening rage. He attempted to leap at Voldemort but iron chains held him in place. Bellatrix’s shrill laugh reverberated through the stone walls of the dungeons. Voldemort raised his hand to quieten her and drew closer to the man. With a flick of his wand, he removed the gag that was keeping the man quiet. As soon as it was removed the man yelled out,

“WHERE THE HELL IS MY GODSON?????? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM????”

Voldemort laughed mirthlessly and then grabbed the man by his hair,

“Sirius Black………Harry has numerous fond memories of you………As for his current location, you just mentioned it.”

The rage was replaced for a few seconds by confusion,

“Who are you????”

Voldemort continued to laugh,

“You are not very quick, Black. I am Lord Voldemort and Harry is in my isolated hell.”

“Give him back, you bas……...”

His sentence was cut short as Bellatrix grabbed him by the throat and started to squeeze,

“Don’t bother to finish that, dear cousin.”

Voldemort signalled Bellatrix to let him go,

“I wonder how Harry would feel upon seeing you or better yet how would he feel if he witnessed your death? You are a liability, Black. But along with that you also happen to be the only family, Harry has got left. He would do anything for you, wouldn’t he?”

Realization struck Sirius like a lightning bolt. Voldemort was going to use him to make Harry do anything he wanted. He wouldn’t allow it,

“You can’t keep me here. I will take my godson away from you even if it kills me.”

Voldemort grabbed Sirius by the throat and stroked the collar around his neck,

“I beg to differ. You are going to stay here like a good dog and when you have fulfilled your purpose, you will be disposed of.”

Sirius tried to switch to his animagus form but no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t turn. Voldemort watched Sirius’s futile attempts with amusement,

“Don’t embarrass yourself, Black. I am aware of the fact that you are an unregistered animagus and that collar around your neck shall prevent you from utilizing your animagus form.”

Sirius struggled against the chains,

“I WILL HAVE MY GODSON BACK!!!!!”

Voldemort let go of his throat and stood up,

“You have two choices, Black. If you choose to behave like a mindless rabid dog then you shall be treated as such, but if you choose to act like a human and understand what is best for you and Harry then I shall be merciful and eventually I might even let you live.”

Sirius immediately spat on Voldemort’s face and spoke,

“Go to hell, you sick bastard.”

Voldemort rose in fury and vanished the spit from his face,

“Bellatrix, ensure that Black is greeted properly by his Dementor hosts and see to it that he is broken down completely before you present him to me again.”

Bellatrix grabbed Sirius and disappeared immediately. Voldemort stood there for a moment and thought about the golden opportunity that had risen in the form of Sirius Black. But he was under no circumstances going to let Harry know about Black yet. If Harry did not cooperate then he was going to bring Black In. Harry’s fate was sealed and hiss obedience was guaranteed with this new development. He laughed to himself humourlessly and disapparated.


	26. Chapter 26

Voldemort appeared outside Harry’s room. He unlocked the room and found Harry lying unconscious on his side on the carpet. He moved close to Harry and bent down beside him. He revived Harry with his wand. When Harry finally came to his senses, Voldemort gently pulled Harry up into a sitting position and held him up with one arm wrapped around his waist.

“How are you feeling, Harry?”

Harry was feeling extremely dizzy, he could hardly discern his surroundings. When he heard Voldemort’s voice, it sounded as if it was coming from far away. He could barely open his eyes. Everything just felt too heavy.

Voldemort sensed Harry’s weakness and he knew that his weakness would not dissipate by food alone. It was time to put him on nutrition potions. Voldemort summoned one and uncorked it. He gently put it close to Harry’s lips and tipped it a little. Harry drank readily and the flask became empty. Voldemort felt Harry shiver and he held him close,

“You’re going to be just fine, Harry. Soon everything will be just fine.”

Harry’s shivering subsided and his body became limp. Voldemort continued to hold him for a while and stroked his unruly hair. Harry’s physical state was deteriorating at a rapid rate. He was extremely weak at the moment and his body even lacked the strength to get up. Voldemort gently took Harry’s wrist and felt his pulse. It was absolutely essential that this pulse never stopped. Keeping Harry alive was his top priority. Slowly he levitated Harry to the bed and pulled the covers over him,

“Sleep well, Harry.”

And with those words, he departed from the room. He appeared in a room which was already packed with death eaters. His plans for the ministry were almost ready to be deployed but he wanted to take Hogwarts before he took over the ministry because change must start from home and Hogwarts was the first place which felt like home to him and same was the case with Harry. Harry…. who had been used and abused by his muggle relatives had found home at Hogwarts as well. Of course, Harry would be present when he took over Hogwarts and killed the old coot. He was well aware of the fact that it would traumatize Harry but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. He stopped his train of thought and began to address the death eaters

“Each one of you has been assigned a separate task to accomplish our most cherished goal……. Tell me, my loyal followers………. What is our most cherished goal?”

When Voldemort had been addressing his death eaters, there had been pin drop silence in the room but now only one thing echoed through the room,

“Ruling all of Britain and the entire world.”

Voldemort smiled and raised his hand to silence them,

“Where is Draco? I believe that I have allocated him the most important task.”

Draco, who had been standing beside his father hesitated before stepping forward. He walked close to Voldemort and knelt in front of him. He kissed his feet and then proceeded to explain his progress.

“My lord, I have procured the Vanishing Cabinet from Borgin and Burkes and I have been studying its mechanism closely. I am confident that I will be able to repair the vanishing cabinet at Hogwarts within a week of my return to Hogwarts.”

Voldemort listened with rapt attention and then laughed jubilantly,

“Very good, Draco. I was correct in my decision to choose you for this task. Your progress has pleased him but it will please me more if you accomplish this task successfully. I believe that the time has arrived for you to join my ranks formally.”

Draco had kept his gaze down while Voldemort had addressed him, looked up now,

“My lord……. you are too kind……I am honoured to serve you.”

Voldemort patted Draco on the head and he realized how different Draco’s hair felt from Harry’s. And with that thought he felt the sudden urge to feel Harry’s hair, to grip them and pull them. He dismissed those thoughts and spoke,

“You have earned it, Draco. You shall be marked three days from now. Lucius…. ensure that the ceremony is grand. After all it is the first-time Harry shall be attending a ceremony on our side. He must feel welcome among us. Is that understood?”

“Yes, my lord.”

The death eaters replied together. Voldemort smirked and then proceeded to listen to the progress reports of his death eaters. One by one he dismissed everyone who had presented their report until there was only Bellatrix left,

“Tell me, Bella. How is our guest doing?”

Bellatrix giggled excitedly,

“He’s being treated very well by the dementors, my lord. I’m sure that Black will break within hours.”

Voldemort’s smirk widened and when he spoke, the glee was obvious in his voice,

“Excellent. Just be careful, Bella. I want him broken, not mad.

Bellatrix bowed down and kissed his feet reverently,

“Yes, my lord. It shall be done.”

“You are dismissed then, Bella.”

Bellatrix vanished and Voldemort stood up and paced the room. He knew what he was going to do with Sirius Black now. He had found the perfect solution. He disapparated from the room and appeared right outside Harry’s. He unlocked the door and entered quietly. Harry was still unconscious. Voldemort drew close and sat on the edge of the bed. He slowly felt Harry’s hair with his hand and moved his fingers through the dark messy curls. Voldemort’s grip tightened on Harry’s hair and he pulled them back. Harry moaned quietly in his unconsciousness. That sound aroused Voldemort and his crimson gaze darkened,

“Harry, you tempt me to ravage you.”

He bent down over his unconscious form and engorged Harry’s lips with his in a very long lustful kiss


	27. Chapter 27

As Harry woke up, the first thing he felt was a foreign warmth and the scent of something like musk reached his nostrils. He opened his eyes and the sight that met his eyes nearly tore a scream out of him. He calmed down a bit when he felt the sensation of his silk pyjamas against his skin. He reassured himself that Voldemort hadn’t done anything to him. Voldemort was asleep beside him on the bed and his face was inches away from him. Harry realized how ordinarily good-looking he was without those crimson eyes. He looked harmlessly charming but Harry knew he was anything but harmless. He had never thought he would ever sleep in the same bed as Voldemort and yet here he was, lying here as Voldemort slept so close to him that he could feel his body heat,

“I find your thoughts extremely amusing, Harry.”

Harry jumped at the sound of Voldemort’s deep husky voice. He hadn’t heard Voldemort speak in that voice before. He shook his head and cleared his mind,

“Good morning, Harry. I am glad to see that you are dealing extremely well to my presence in your bed.”

Harry didn’t know why he wasn’t freaking out right now as he should have been,

“It’s your bed, Sir.”

Voldemort chuckled softly and sat up straight,

“You are still in denial, Harry.”

Harry did the same and looked around the room. He was tired of seeing the same walls repeatedly. He felt nauseous. Voldemort seemed to have read his thoughts again,

“We shall be having breakfast on the terrace. Some sunlight will do you good.”

Voldemort stood up and Harry realized that he was dressed in an identical pair of black silk pyjamas. And then it struck him like lightening, the pyjamas he was wearing were Voldemort’s as well and he had fitted them to his size.

“Get up, Harry. I believe your legs will cooperate with you today.”

Harry took the support of the side table and stood up. He stumbled a bit but eventually found his balance. He released the side table slowly and stood up straighter. As soon as he tried to take a step, he lost his balance and he almost fell. But before he could hit the ground, he felt Voldemort hold him up. Harry tried to straighten up again and succeeded. Voldemort wrapped one arm around his waist like last time and helped him walk. Harry felt like his legs were beginning to support him gradually. Harry took the support of the wall and Voldemort released him. Step by step, with the support of the wall he managed to walk a bit.

While walking, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and his legs stopped moving. He could barely recognize himself. He had grown thinner than he had ever been. His skin had grown pale and his eyes had grown dull. His cheeks had grown hollow under the cheek bones and his hair had grown longer and somehow messier. When he looked at his lips, he realized that they were bruised and swollen, he tried to remember how that could have happened and he came to only one conclusion. Voldemort must have done that last night. Harry’s fingers traced his lips absentmindedly as he felt impure again. His other hand balled into a fist and in the blink of an eye he smashed the mirror with it. He watched with satisfaction as his reflection shattered into a million pieces. Now it was showing his true reflection. Voldemort had shattered him. He had broken down his being,

“Why don’t you kill me? Please………end this.”

Voldemort sat down on the divan close to him and spoke,

“I have already explained that.”

Harry felt numb, he couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t feel. His gaze landed on the shattered pieces and something sparked to life in his heart. In a flash, Harry grabbed one of the shards and slashed his wrist.

Voldemort had been engrossed in Harry’s thoughts, when they suddenly became silent. As soon as his crimson gaze landed on Harry’s kneeling form, a fountain of blood erupted. He rushed towards Harry and pointed his wand at the severed artery to heal it but the blood continued to flow out. He realized that Harry’s magic was preventing the cut from being healed. He summoned a tourniquet and tied it tightly around Harry’s bleeding wrist. How had Harry manged to even attempt suicide in his presence? He felt furious. Harry would pay dearly for endangering his soul but at the current time, he had to convince Harry to live. He cupped Harry’s face in his hands and made him look up,

“Look at me, Harry. Listen to me. If you die, then I shall kill your godfather. I swear on my magic that I have him in my captivity. If you die, then he dies. Do you understand me?”

Harry’s gaze was unfocused but Voldemort knew that Harry’s brain had registered what he had said. Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry’s wrist and tried to heal it again but it refused to heal. Another idea approached his mind and he began to stitch the wound with his wand. He was pleased to see that the stitches held and the blood flow stopped. He bandaged the freshly stitched wound and found that Harry had passed out. He moved him to the bed and pulled the covers over him. He felt the need to destroy something, anything. The rage bubbling inside his chest was threatening to come out. He wanted to torture Harry in more than one way for what he had just done but he would have to restrain that urge. Hurting Harry in this condition would ensure his death which he couldn’t afford under any circumstances. There were other means to torture him without physically harming him. He stroked Harry’s blood soaked hair gently,

“You are going to pay dearly for this, Harry.”


	28. Chapter 28

It had been 36 hours since Harry’s attempted suicide. Voldemort sat in an arm chair next to the bed and watched Harry in his unconscious form. He had changed the bandages around his wrists twice now and each time, the stitches had opened and the blood flow had started all over again. The blood replenishing and nutrition potions were the only things keeping the boy alive. Voldemort was lost in these thoughts when Harry stirred. He watched as Harry’s eyes opened slowly and he took in his surroundings. And when his gaze landed on his bandaged wrist, a look of utter confusion dawned upon his face. He looked up in surprise and his green eyes met scorching red.

Voldemort’s fury returned upon seeing Harry awake but it diminished as quickly as it rose because as soon as his gaze met Harry’s, he realized that something was extremely wrong,

“How…...What happened?”

Harry realized that his voice sounded extremely weak. He stared at his bandaged wrist and tried to remember what had happened. He remembered waking up next to Voldemort and after that he remembered getting up and trying to walk. After that everything was blank. Now that he thought about it, he must have blacked out again.  He felt extremely weak and lethargic. That definitely must have been the reason but it didn’t explain his bandaged wrist,

“Harry, what do you remember?”

“I remember waking up and I remember that you were helping me walk. I can’t remember what happened next.”

Voldemort knew that Harry wasn’t lying. He could see it in his mind. He was perplexed. He needed to find out why the memories had been erased and how they had been erased. There had to be a logical explanation for this. Now that he thought about it, it served his purpose well. Harry did not know now that he had Sirius Black in his captivity. He could still use that to his advantage.

Voldemort stood up and walked close to Harry and sat down on the bed beside him. He grabbed Harry’s hair and pulled him into a sitting position. Harry cried out in agony and gripped Voldemort’s wrist with his uninjured hand in an attempt to make him relinquish his grip,

“You don’t remember anything, do you, Harry? “

“No………. I swear I don’t.”

Harry continued to try to free himself from Voldemort’s relentless grip. Voldemort grabbed his chin with his free hand and held Harry in place,

“You attempted suicide, Harry. You sought to end your life. Do you understand the implications and consequences of your action?”

Harry’s lips parted and his gaze became distant and unfocused. He couldn’t fathom how he had managed to even attempt suicide. He felt his head aching and it felt as his mind would blow up any moment. Harry gulped in fear, Voldemort had said consequences. And Harry knew what that meant,

“No……………. I don’t even remember what happened. You can’t punish me for something I don’t even recall doing.”

A surge of pain went through Harry’s entire being and he screamed out in pain,

“I can punish you as much as I desire, for as long as I desire.”

The pain worsened and Harry’s screaming grew louder. As Harry writhed and thrashed in pain, the bandages became undone and Harry started to bleed again. Voldemort held Harry in place and continued to torture him until Harry’s screams grew weaker and his body began to grow limp.

Voldemort’s gaze fell on the rapidly bleeding wound and he grew pale. He diminished the pain and checked Harry’s pulse which was nearly non-existent. He pointed his wand at the cut and stitched it again. After bandaging it, he forced a blood replenishing potion down Harry’s throat and laid him back down.

He sat back down in the arm chair and cursed his temper. Harry had nearly died at his hands. He would have to exercise more restraint in this matter. Harry was becoming difficult to handle. The boy’s both mental and physical state was deteriorating rapidly and he knew that he would have to take some action against it. The marking ceremony was in a day and Harry had to be present there. But in the condition the boy was at the moment, it seemed that it was impossible for him to even leave the bed. He couldn’t trust a healer, no, he would have to heal Harry by himself. Voldemort summoned a book on advanced healing and began studying it

After a few hours of extensive study, he began the healing process. He used his magic to overpower Harry’s and with the help of his wand, he began to cast the healing charms. After several minutes of hard work, the wound was partially closed and the bleeding had completely stopped. Harry’s cheeks that had been pale before, had gained a healthy glow and he looked better physically. Voldemort put away his wand and leaned back in the arm chair. He was confident that Harry was partially healed. Now all he had to do was wait for him to wake up.


	29. Chapter 29

As Harry woke up, the first thing he saw were dark crimson eyes. He immediately shot up and sat up straight. Voldemort drew near and Harry pushed himself back against the head board and looked away. Harry’s chest was constricted with fear and he felt as if he couldn’t breathe. Voldemort moved his hand close to Harry and he recoiled further,

“Don’t……. Please don’t punish me.”

Voldemort caressed his cheek softly and chuckled softly,

“What makes you think I will punish you?”

Harry gripped the bed covers tightly and kept himself plastered to the bedpost,

“I tried to kill myself……...I don’t know how I even managed to do it but I did.”

Voldemort cupped his face with both hands and made him look up,

“Will you ever attempt to do something like that again?”

Harry shuddered and replied with extreme difficulty,

“No.”

Voldemort’s grip tightened on his chin and Harry could see the rage burning in those crimson orbs,

“No, what?”

Harry realized that he had forgotten to add Sir,

“No, Sir.”

Voldemort released his chin and patted him on the cheek softly,

“Good boy.”

He got up from the bed and summoned a pair of pure black robes and laid them on the foot of the bed,

“These are for you, Harry.”

Harry looked at the black robes and wondered why Voldemort had gotten them for him. Voldemort read the question in Harry’s eyes and replied softly,

“You shall be wearing these for tonight.”

That sparked Harry’s curiosity and Voldemort watched with satisfaction as the spark returned in Harry’s eyes,

“Why tonight?”

Voldemort smiled and Harry realized how charming he looked while he smiled,

“Consider tonight to be a practice session for the forthcoming meeting.”

Harry knew that Voldemort wouldn’t tell him anything more than that so he simply nodded and stared down in his lap,

“Since it’s nearly afternoon, Harry. You should have lunch. After lunch, get some rest. I want you ready by 7 PM sharp. Is that understood?”

“How will I know the time?”

Voldemort summoned a table clock and set it down on the side table,

“That should solve that problem. I shall see you in the evening.”

And with that he vanished from the room. As soon as Voldemort left, a tray of food appeared on the side table. Harry picked it up and as soon as he was about to lift the knife and fork when he felt pain arise in his bandaged wrist. With much difficulty, he ate his meal. When he was finished, the empty dishes vanished and they were replaced by two flasks. Harry drank the contents of both and laid back down to sleep. In a matter of seconds, he had fallen back into a deep slumber.

Harry awoke with a start and looked around in panic. When his gaze landed on the clock, his heart beat quickened. He only had half an hour left to get ready. He jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. As he was taking a shower, the bandages got soaked and began to unravel. Harry panicked and looked through the cabinets for dry bandages but there were none. He gave up the search and finished his shower as quickly as possible. After drying off himself with a towel, he put on the black pair of jeans and as he was about to put on the shirt when Harry heard the door open. Damn it! He was definitely in trouble now.

Voldemort opened the door and walked in to find Harry shirtless, the sight of his bare chest forced him to lick his lips. He wanted to kiss every inch of his body. Harry immediately put on the shirt and Voldemort watched as Harry struggled to close the buttons. Voldemort drew near and Harry took several steps back until his back came in contact with the wall. Voldemort walked closer and held Harry’s shoulder tightly. He slowly buried his nose in the crook of Harry’s neck and breathed in the scent of his freshly showered body. Harry looked away and closed his eyes tightly. Voldemort could smell the fear mingled with the heavy scent of shampoo and soap. He softly kissed his neck and began to do the buttons of his shirt. When Voldemort stepped back. Harry released the breath he had been holding,

“We are running late, Harry. Put on the robes.”

Harry walked to the bed and picked up the robes. As he was putting on the robes, the wet bandages came off completely revealing an extremely ghastly wound. As soon as Harry’s gaze fell on it, he felt nauseous. Voldemort bandaged the wound again. Harry took several deep breaths to calm himself down. Voldemort moved forwards and pulled the robes over Harry’s shoulders and summoned a pair of black shoes and socks. With a flick of his wand, Harry was wearing them and ready to go,

“You are awfully lethargic, Harry. Next time I will not tolerate it.”

Harry nodded silently. Voldemort gripped his arm tightly and they disapparated.

Harry felt as if he had nearly been suffocated. As soon as his feet touched sold ground, he stumbled and nearly fell. His head was spinning badly. Harry felt Voldemort’s grip tighten on his arm in warning. Harry took several deep breaths and straightened up. Voldemort released his grip on his arm. Harry looked around to find himself in the same room, he had been brought in when he had surrendered. There wasn’t anyone present. Harry found it strange. Voldemort read Harry’s thoughts,

“The ceremony is taking place in the ballroom. You are going to be on your best behaviour, is that understood?”

Harry nodded slowly. Voldemort smiled in satisfaction and walked out of the room. Harry followed him out and walked behind him as Voldemort made his way to the ballroom. Harry stared in awe. Malfoy Manor was huge. No wonder, Draco was so arrogant. They reached a pair of huge oak doors. The doors opened by themselves and Harry entered behind Voldemort.


	30. Chapter 30

As soon as Voldemort walked into the ballroom, every death eater in the ballroom fell on their knees. Harry looked around the ballroom awestruck. As he looked up, he saw hundreds of beautiful floating crystal chandeliers. Banners and tapestries depicting the dark mark adorned the walls. As Harry looked down on the floor, he realized that even the floor had the dark mark. It was created by piecing together various coloured marbles. Voldemort watched the admiration in Harry’s eyes and he knew that he would be rewarding Lucius later,

“Harry, come here.”

Harry realized that Voldemort was standing in the middle of the ballroom. Harry walked close to him and stood by his side. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy stepped forward and greeted Voldemort reverently,

“My lord, your throne awaits.”

Voldemort walked towards the throne and took his seat. Harry didn’t know what he was supposed to do. Was he supposed to stand here or follow Voldemort? He looked around the room and tried to recognize the death eaters but it was difficult to tell them apart with their masks. He diverted his attention to the shoes and realized that he could tell apart the men from the women by their shoes. He could tell that there weren’t a lot of women present.

Harry wondered who was going to be marked today. Even though he wasn’t keen on watching the ceremony, he was curious to know how Voldemort marked his followers. He realized that he was the only person present there without a mask apart from Voldemort. He felt exposed so he proceeded to stand against a wall and continue his observation from there. He caught snippets of various conversations among death eaters. After a few minutes, the chatter died down suddenly and everyone turned to Voldemort,

“My loyal death eaters, we are gathered here to welcome two more individuals in to our ranks. You are familiar with Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy. The time has come for him to honoured with the dark mark and formally join our ranks. The identity of the second individual shall be revealed after Draco has been marked. Lucius, bring Draco forward.”

Lucius Malfoy bowed and left the ballroom. Voldemort looked through the sea of black robes to spot Harry. He found Harry standing against the wall, staring up in fascination at the chandeliers,

“Harry, your place is here.”

Harry tore his gaze away from the chandeliers and looked at Voldemort. He hesitantly walked towards Voldemort and stood in front of him. He could feel the gaze of everyone in the room and it made him uncomfortable. Voldemort summoned a chair beside his throne and signalled Harry to sit. Harry sat down silently and saw that everyone was still staring at him as if he was some fascinating animal at the zoo. He looked down at his shoes. Suddenly he heard the oak doors open and Lucius Malfoy walked in with Draco at his heels. Lucius Malfoy took his place in the crowd while Draco moved confidently towards Voldemort and gracefully dropped down to his knees in front of him. After kissing his feet, he looked up,

“My lord, I am ready to serve you.”

Harry watched the whole exchange with an awestruck expression. He could see nothing but pure devotion in Draco’s eyes,

“Extend your left arm, Draco.”

It bothered Harry that Draco was the same age as him and he was getting the dark mark. Draco would be attending Hogwarts, and if he was a death eater, he was certain that Voldemort was planning on using Draco as a pawn.

“Stop thinking, Harry.”

Harry nodded quietly and watched as Voldemort took Draco’s arm in his hand,

“Do you vow to serve me till your last breath, till the last drop of your blood and till death reaps your soul.”

“I do, master.”

“Do you swear your allegiance to me and my cause?”

“I do, master.”

“Do you pledge to accomplish all the tasks assigned to you to the best of your abilities?”

“I do, my lord.”

Voldemort smiled in satisfaction and Harry watched in horror as Voldemort pointed his wand at Draco’s forearm and whispered,

“Morsmorde.”

Harry watched as the jet black Dark mark began to appear on Draco’s arm. He saw that he was in pain and he could tell that Draco was biting his tongue to not scream. Harry saw how the pain got out of control for Draco. In a matter of seconds, Draco’s screams echoed through the ballroom. Voldemort released Draco’s arm and as soon as he released him, Draco collapsed on the floor and clutched his arm close to his chest and screamed.

Harry couldn’t bear to watch as Draco screamed in pain. He got up from his chair but as soon as he stood up, he felt Voldemort grip his shoulder and push him back into the chair. Harry sat down but he couldn’t take his eyes off Draco. After a few minutes, Draco seemed to have gained control of his body again and he forced himself into a kneeling position in front of Voldemort,

“My lord….I am honoured to serve you. I will not disappoint you. I will prove that your trust in me is not misplaced. I shall present Hogwarts to you on a plate.”

Before Harry could stop himself, the question slipped off his tongue,

“What????”

“Be quiet, Harry or I shall have to quieten you.”

Harry threw all sense out of the window as he stood up and walked close to Draco. He gripped him by the collar of his black robed and forced him to his feet,

“How could you? How can you betray everyone like this?”

Draco shoved Harry back and drew out his wand and pointed it at Harry’s chest,

“Potter, you should be grateful that the dark lord hasn’t killed you.”

Harry felt his hands ball into fists and before he could stop himself, he rushed towards Draco and knocked him to the ground. He punched every part of Draco he could reach. Draco rolled over and pushed Harry down to the ground and came over him. He dug his wand into Harry’s neck and wiped the blood away from his bleeding lip,

“You just don’t know when to admit defeat, Potter. You’ve lost and I pity you.”

Harry was about to push himself up from the floor when a loud bang reverberated through the ballroom. Draco stood up and took his place in the crowd of death eaters. Harry sat up straight and as he saw the livid expression on Voldemort’s face, the enormity of his mistake came crashing down on him. He was in trouble. Voldemort’s voice was laced with venom when he spoke,

“Get up, Harry.”

Harry hesitantly stood up and sat back down in the chair.

Voldemort started speaking again,

“The next individual joining our ranks today shall prove to be a valuable asset to our cause. He has been a member of the order of phoenix for years but now he has decided to serve our cause.”

A member of the order? Who could betray the order like that? Harry was just wondering who it could be when Voldemort announced the name,

“Sirius Black has decided to join us in our cause.”

As soon as Harry heard the name, he felt as if his entire world had been turned upside down.


	31. Chapter 31

“Sirius Black has decided to join us in our cause.”

As soon as Harry heard the name, he felt as if his entire world had been turned upside down. He felt the air leave his lungs. It couldn’t be true. It had to be a lie. It just had to be a lie.

Voldemort stood up from his throne and walked behind Harry’s chair. He could feel Harry’s distress and as he listened to his thoughts, he knew that Harry was in denial. No matter, he would clear that doubt away very soon. Bellatrix’s shrill cackling announced her arrival. She pranced into the room like an over excited girl. Harry’s eyes were fixed on the entrance. Harry’s eyes widened in shock as he saw the figure that entered after Bellatrix. The man that entered looked nothing like his Godfather. He had always seen Sirius with his long dirty curly hair and mangy beard. The man in front of him couldn’t be his Godfather. The man in front of him was dressed in pure black robe. His hair was curly and shiny. His beard was properly trimmed and he walked with an air of confidence.   This wasn’t Sirius. It couldn’t be.

Sirius walked into the ballroom and as soon as he entered he could feel every gaze fixated on him. As he walked close to Voldemort, his eyes found Harry seated in a chair with Voldemort looming over him like a dark shadow. He had to be strong. He had taken this decision for Harry. He had to stand by it. He walked closer to Voldemort and kneeled.

“This isn’t Sirius.”

Harry spoke up before Sirius or Voldemort could say anything. Voldemort rested his hands on Harry’s shoulders and spoke,

“Black, Harry doesn’t believe that you are who you say you are. Your first task is to make Harry believe.”

Sirius looked up at Harry and saw that Harry was staring intently at him as if trying to see through him. He knew that Harry would be heartbroken to know that it was really him but it was still better than the pain Voldemort would inflict upon him by murdering him in front of him. Before Sirius could say anything, Voldemort spoke up again,

“Harry, you may ask Black anything that you feel that only he would know.”

Harry thought hard and then asked,

“You gave me something a few months ago. What was it?”

Harry was confident that this imposter wouldn’t be able to answer his question since no one knew about the two-way mirror Sirius had given him to communicate with him,

“I gave you a two-way mirror, Harry. It is really me.”

Sirius saw the hope in Harry’s eyes shatter. A broken sob escaped Harry’s lips and he closed his eyes tightly. Voldemort smirked in satisfaction as he saw that Harry had accepted the truth. He caressed Harry’s cheek softly. As soon as Harry felt Voldemort touch him, he recoiled and stood up. In the blink of an eye, Voldemort was gripping Harry tightly from behind with one arm. Voldemort brought his lips close to Harry’s ear and whispered quietly,

“Harry, you have already earned enough punishment for yourself. Behave yourself and save yourself some pain.”

“How………. How could you do this to the order, to Remus, to me…………You were my last hope…………”

Harry collapsed down on his knees as he cried. He couldn’t handle this. He felt as if his heart would explode from the agony. Voldemort walked closer to where Sirius was kneeling and spoke up,

“Extend your left arm.”

Sirius tore his gaze away from Harry’s crying form. He tried to shut out Harry’s sobs. He had to be strong. Harry would recover. He was sure that he would. Apart from this he had no chance of ever being close to Harry. He would have to do this. Sirius extended his arm silently and Voldemort started to repeat the vows that he had taken from Draco. When Voldemort reached the last vow and Sirius was about to reply, Harry cried out,

“No, Sirius. Please don’t do this……………. Just stop for my sake………...I’ll die…………...”

Sirius could feel his heart breaking as Harry pleaded. He reassured himself that he was doing this to save Harry. He was doing this for his sake.

“My lord, I pledge my unwavering loyalty to you from this day forward.”

Voldemort took Sirius’s arm and pointed his wand at his forearm. Harry kept his head down but as soon as heard the spell, he looked up. He watched as the dark mark appeared on Sirius’s arm. His vision spun and he felt his head hit the marble floor. He closed his eyes. All he wanted was to black out and wake up to realize that it was all a terrible dream. He felt numb. There was no use in crying. What was he even crying for? All of this was a nightmare. Sirius would never betray him. He would never shatter his hope. Harry felt himself drowning in the sea of darkness and he was grateful for it.

When Voldemort took away his wand, he saw that Harry was lying unconscious on the floor. He walked closer to him and bent down beside him. Gently he stroked Harry’s hair and stood up,

“Well done, Black. You have made the right decision perhaps for the first time in your life.”

Sirius saw the anguish on Harry’s tear stained face and he felt as if his heart would explode with the guilt that he felt. He looked away from Harry and stared emptily at the dark mark burned into his forearm. This was all for Harry.

Voldemort spoke up again,

“My loyal followers, you may proceed for dinner. I shall join you in a moment. Tonight, we shall feast in order to celebrate the addition of two more assets in to our folds.”

When the death eaters had filed out of the ballroom and only Harry and Voldemort were left alone. Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry’s chest and revived him. Harry woke up with a start and as soon as he opened his eyes, he realized that he was lying on the floor. He raised himself into a sitting and as soon as he took in his surroundings, he felt all his hopes come crashing down to the floor. Sirius had really been marked. He had really betrayed him and everyone else. Voldemort’s voice echoed through the ballroom,

“Get up, Harry. You have disappointed me immensely.”

Harry slowly stood up and looked around the room again. Without warning, Harry was pinned to the wall and Voldemort was holding him tightly. Voldemort had one hand on Harry’s shoulder and his other hand gripped Harry’s hair to keep him still. Harry was forced to meet Voldemort’s furious gaze. Harry knew what was coming and he closed his eyes tightly. Voldemort drew closer to Harry and released his hold on Harry’s shoulder. He pressed Harry’s body further against the wall with the weight of his own and undid the top buttons of Harry’s shirt. Slowly he bit down on Harry’s lips and a cry escaped Harry’s lips. Voldemort put his finger to Harry’s lips,

“Do not cry, Harry. I have not even begun yet.”


	32. Chapter 32

Harry tried to move away from Voldemort as he had him pinned down to the wall. He had his eyes closed tightly and struggled blindly. Voldemort bit down harder on Harry’s lips and another cry escaped his lips. Voldemort licked the blood flowing from Harry’s torn lips and then kissed them tightly with his own. Tears streamed down Harry’s eyes as he couldn’t get away no matter how hard he tried. Voldemort pulled away his lips and slapped Harry hard across the face.

 Voldemort released him and Harry slowly slid down against the wall on the floor. He could feel his cheek burning from the impact. Unconsciously he cradled his cheek with his unwounded hand. He stared emptily at the floor as he cried silently. Why couldn’t he just die? He didn’t know whether to keep hoping for someone to help him or just give in like Sirius had done. He decided to voice his question,

“What am I supposed to do?”

Voldemort drew closer to where Harry was sitting against the wall and bent down beside him,

“You are supposed to obey me, Harry. It is as simple than that. You are supposed to give in to me. Why can you not understand this?”

He pulled away Harry’s hand from his bruised cheek and slowly caressed it,

“I brought you, your Godfather, Harry. You should be grateful.”

Harry met Voldemort’s gaze and spoke up,

“He’s not my Godfather. I don’t know who he is.”

Voldemort gripped Harry’s bandaged wrist and pressed down on the cut, Harry cried out in agony,

“I can kill him if you do not recognize him. Surely the death of a stranger will not bother you.”

Voldemort loosened his grip on Harry’s wrist,

“No, I’m……. I’m very grateful……... thankyou.”

Voldemort chuckled darkly and his grip tightened again on Harry’s wrist. Harry let out another scream louder than before,

“Why do I have to threaten you every time to make you understand? And yet you never seem to understand.”

Harry had his eyes closed tightly and struggled harder to get his wrist out of Voldemort’s grip. He screamed louder than ever.

Voldemort realized that the cut had begun to bleed again. He watched as the white bandages immediately turned red. Damn the boy and his fragility. He pointed his wand and vanished the blood-soaked bandages. He traced his wand over the cut and stitched it up again. After bandaging it again he looked up at Harry’s face and realized that his eyes were closed. Voldemort summoned a blood replenishing potion and forced it down Harry’s throat. Harry coughed and swallowed it with extreme difficulty. Voldemort stood up,

“Get up, Harry. We are expected for dinner.”

Harry took the support of the wall and raised himself up on his feet. His head was spinning. He took a step and nearly tripped. Voldemort watched Harry’s feeble attempts at walking and felt infuriated. He pinned Harry against the wall again and this time he held him by his throat,

“Why are you so frail, Harry?”

The answer was on the tip of Harry’s tongue and struggling to get out. But Harry knew angering Voldemort further at this moment would not bode well for him,

“You forget the fact that I can read your thoughts and it does not bode well for you either way. I will punish you for your insubordination when we reach home.”

“Home………It’s your home, not mine.”

Voldemort’s grip tightened on his throat and Harry choked,

“It is your home as well now. You will not find haven anywhere other than there. Not even death can free you from my clutches. Clear away all misconceptions that you seem to hold. Dumbledore cannot save you. He will die and Draco and Black will ensure that.”

Harry was suffocating. Voldemort’s grip on his throat had become impossibly tight. Voldemort seemed to realize that and released his hold on his throat,

“Harry, if you cry again, I will kill Black and everyone that you hold dear. Maybe then your tears will not be wasted.”

Harry closed his eyes and drew several deep breaths. Voldemort drew away from him and saw the red marks around Harry’s neck that his grip had left. Harry rubbed his neck and then stood up straight. He left the support of the wall,

“Button up your shirt and correct your robes.”

Harry did the top buttons of his shirt and straightened out his robes. Voldemort turned around and started walking. Harry followed quietly until they reached a massive hall, which was very similar to Hogwarts except that several round tables were placed around the hall instead of the four long house tables at Hogwarts.

As Voldemort entered the hall, the death eaters left their seats and stood up. Voldemort walked across the hall to the very front of the hall, where a table was placed on a higher platform. He walked up the stairs and stood on the platform and observed his death eaters. Harry stood at the foot of the stairs uncertain about whether he was supposed to go up on the platform as well,

“Harry, come and sit.”

Harry hesitantly walked up the stairs and sat down on the chair Voldemort had signalled him to. Voldemort took a seat on the chair next to him.

“I believe that your Godfather and Draco should dine with us.”

And before Harry could respond, Voldemort summoned them both on the platform. He conjured up two more seats and told them to sit. Harry looked up at Sirius and noticed that Sirius was deliberating ignoring his gaze. Sirius sat down on the seat opposite to Harry and spoke,

“My lord, it is an honour for me to dine with you.”

Voldemort saw the hurt in Harry’s gaze. He loved how it tormented Harry whenever Black called him his lord. Voldemort addressed his death eaters,

“Let the feast begin.”

And as soon as he spoke, food appeared in every plate. A house elf appeared beside Voldemort and began to speak,

“I is Bonnie. I will be serving Master whatever he desires tonight.”

Voldemort looked at Harry and slowly patted him on the shoulder,

“Harry, you may talk to Black in whatever manner you find comfortable. He is your Godfather.”

After saying that he turned to Bonnie and began giving her instructions. Harry wanted to ask Sirius why he had done all this. There must have been a valid reason. Sirius would never turn dark. Sirius would never bow down before anyone. And yet here he was, calling Voldemort his lord and following his orders. He didn’t know what to think. After much deliberation, he spoke,

“I don’t have anything to say to him.”

Voldemort smirked and then decided to take another approach,

“Black, you are aware of the task assigned to you, are you not?”

Sirius who had been looking down at the fork, looked up and spoke,

“My lord, I am aware.”

“Enlighten Harry about how you are going to accomplish your task.”

Harry looked up at Sirius and their gaze met. Sirius noticed Harry’s bruised lips and the bruise across his cheek. For the first time that night, Harry saw rage in Sirius’s eyes and he realized that maybe Sirius did care for him. But what was the use of such care if he couldn’t do anything about it. Sirius was a death eater now and he was bound to serve Voldemort. Sirius would never be able to stop Voldemort from hurting him.

As soon as Sirius’s gaze landed on Harry’s bruised lips, he realized the nature of the abuse, Voldemort inflicted on him and he felt enraged. Harry was only fifteen. He could tell how much Harry was affected by the abuse, just by looking at his face. He wanted to do something to help. He was starting to regret his decision of becoming a death eater. He had never felt more helpless. Nevertheless, he decided to reply,

“My lord, I believe that Harry isn’t interested.”

Voldemort took Harry’s uninjured hand in his,

“Is your Godfather right, Harry? Are you really not interested?”

Harry looked up at Sirius again and saw the pleading in his eyes,

“He’s right.”

Voldemort’s grip tightened on Harry’s wrist and Harry could feel the threat even though Voldemort didn’t vocalize it. Before Voldemort could break his wrist, Harry spoke up,

“I’m curious to know what his task is”

Voldemort released his wrist and picked up his knife and fork,

“We must eat. Black, explain your task while we eat.”

Harry hesitantly picked up his knife and fork and began to eat his salad. Sirius started to speak,

“My task is to spy on the order of the phoenix and collect all vital information about their plans. Hindering their plans and discouraging them in their search for Harry is also included in my task.”

At the last statement, the knife and fork slipped from Harry’s hands and fell with a clatter on the plate. The order was searching for him. They hadn’t forgotten about him. They hadn’t given up on him. Harry looked up at Sirius and finally addressed him,

“How are you going to discourage them from searching for me?”

But it wasn’t Sirius who replied. Voldemort spoke up,

“He’s going to prove you dead. That will eventually break their spirits. With their saviour gone, they will have no one to rely on and when they are truly broken and mourning your loss. My death eaters led by Black, will attack them and enslave them.”

To say that Harry was shocked would be an understatement, he was outright horrified. How could have Sirius turned out to be like this? How was Sirius going to betray the order like that? Harry slumped back in his seat and his breathing grew shallow. His eyelids grew heavy and his heartbeat fastened.

Voldemort and Sirius noticed Harry’s condition at the same time. Sirius got up from his seat and was about to rush towards Harry when Voldemort raised his hand to stop him. Voldemort summoned a flask full of bright orange potion and forced Harry to drink it. As soon as Harry swallowed the potion, he began to recover. Harry’s breathing eased and his heartbeat came back to normal. He opened his eyes and took several deep breaths to calm himself down. He wasn’t supposed to cry. He just wanted to get as far away from Sirius as possible,

“How are you feeling now, Harry?”

Harry picked up a napkin from the table and wiped away the cold sweat from his forehead,

“I’m fine.”

That was the biggest lie he had ever spoken and he knew that Voldemort was aware that he was lying. As he was about to pick up his knife and fork again, he realized that his hands were shaking uncontrollably. He tried to calm himself down but the more he tried, the more the trembling grew.

“May I be excused from the table for a bit, Sir?”

Voldemort listened incredulously to Harry’s request and then spoke,

“You may go but Draco shall go with you.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

Harry stood up from the table and walked as steadily as he could out of the hall. As soon as he came outside, he ran. He ran as hard as he could until he couldn’t. He collapsed on his knees and buried his face in his hands. He let go of all the tears he had been holding and cried as hard as he could. He heard footsteps and he knew it was Draco. He wiped away his tears and looked up,

“I’m not going to escape, if you’re worried about that.”

Harry moved to the wall and rested his back against it.

“You can’t escape from here even if you wanted to, Potter.”

Harry sighed and wiped away the remaining tears from the corners of his eyes,

“I know I can’t.”

Draco walked closer to where Harry was sitting against the wall,

“Why can’t you just give up, Potter? He won’t stop hurting you if you keep disobeying him.”

Harry traced his bruised lips with his finger and laughed hysterically,

“He won’t stop hurting me even if I obey him. He enjoys it. My screams turn him on. Watching me writhe in pain gives him pleasure…………. He won’t stop………He’ll never stop.”

Harry’s hysterical laughter turned into sobbing and he cried again. Draco watched him as he wept uncontrollably. Potter was broken. He hesitantly moved his hand towards Harry’s shoulder and patted him gently,

“I think we should go back now before the Dark Lord comes to find you himself.”

Draco summoned a glass of water and held it towards Harry,

“Here drink some water, P…. Harry.”

He had been about to call him by his second name again but the state that he had just seen Harry in made him realize that this wasn’t the Harry who had beat him at Quidditch every time at Hogwarts. This wasn’t his enemy. Not anymore.

Harry looked up at the saddened expression on Malfoy’s face and took the glass of water with a weak smile.

“Thanks.”

He drank the water slowly and when the glass was empty, he stood up from the floor and then patted Draco on the shoulder,

“You don’t look good with that expression on your face. If he finds out that you were kind to me, he won’t like it.”

Harry handed him the empty glass and walked towards the hall again. When he reached the entrance, he drew a deep breath and crossed the threshold of the hall.


	33. Chapter 33

Harry walked through the hall with a new resolve. He would not give up. He would fight back. Sirius might have given up easily but he wouldn’t. No matter how much Voldemort abused him, he would not break. Harry cleared away all these thoughts from his mind and walked up the steps again with Draco right behind him.

Voldemort watched as Harry took his seat again,

“How was your little excursion, Harry?”

Harry looked up at Voldemort and smiled,

“It went very well, Sir.”

He watched as Voldemort’s red eyes widened in shock at his smile. Maybe it was the first time he had smiled in front of Voldemort. Voldemort corrected his expression immediately and smiled charmingly,

“Eat, Harry. Everyone is nearly finished with their meal.”

Harry picked up his knife and fork and realized that his salad was now replaced with fish. He took a bite and looked up at Sirius,

“So, tell me, how are you going to prove me dead?”

Voldemort watched in amusement and then signalled an uneasy looking Sirius to reply,

“The dark lord has a plan to fabricate your death.”

Harry laughed softly,

“So, he doesn’t tell you his plans as well, just like Dumbledore.”

Sirius stared thunderstruck at Harry. He certainly wasn’t like this before he had gone out. What had caused him to change so much in a matter of minutes. Sirius was brought out of his musings by Harry’s voice,

“Did I say something wrong?”

Voldemort looked at Harry and he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. What had caused him to change so suddenly? He searched through Harry’s mind but there wasn’t a trace of anything that could have triggered the change. He was about to grip Harry’s wrist when Harry pulled it away and began to cut another slice out of his fish.

Draco watched the new development in horror. What was Harry doing? He saw the murderous glint in the Dark Lord’s eyes and he was sure that Harry was in deep trouble.

As Harry finished his meal and looked up, he realized that Sirius and Draco were staring at him with a mixture of shock and horror. When he looked at the Dark lord seated beside him, he saw the enraged expression on his face and the wrath in his burning crimson gaze and when Voldemort spoke he could practically taste the venom in his voice,

“I think Harry is done with his dinner. We should depart.”

He stood up from his seat and Harry knew that he was in extreme trouble. As if things, hadn’t been bad enough. He had made them worse with his reckless behaviour. He mentally slapped the voice in his head. He was going to be strong. He had to be strong. He stood up from his seat and looked at Sirius and smiled encouragingly,

“Bye, Sirius. Bye, Draco.”

He waved them good bye and followed Voldemort down the stairs. Death Eaters bowed down in front of Voldemort as he passed. They were about to leave when Lucius came running after the Dark Lord,

“My lord, Narcissa and I wish to present you with this as an insignificant token of our gratitude.”

Lucius Malfoy presented a polished wood box. Voldemort accepted it,

“I shall talk with you in detail later, Lucius. I have some urgent matters that I must tend to at the moment.”

Voldemort gripped Harry’s arm in a bone shattering hold and disapparated. Voldemort appeared with an unsteady Harry by his side. He immediately threw him across the room. He watched in satisfaction as Harry landed against the wall,

“You have no clue of the consequences of your actions and reckless behaviour.”

Harry sat up straight and laughed weakly,

“I know…….”

In a matter of seconds, Voldemort was holding Harry by his throat and squeezing the air out of his lungs. Harry kicked his feet and struggled to break free. He held Voldemort’s hand with both hands and struggled to pry his fingers off his throat. Harry’s eyes closed as he gradually ran out of air and began to suffocate. Voldemort released him and Harry drew in a deep breath. When Harry was able to speak again, he said,

“Why don’t you save yourself the trouble and just kill me? You nearly do it every time and then stop. I know you want to do it then, why don’t you?”

Voldemort drew close to him and looked into his eyes,

“Why would I kill you once when I can keep you alive and kill you every day?”

Voldemort undid his robes and took them off, revealing a pair of tight black pants and a deep red dress shirt. He drew closer to Harry and slowly caressed his cheek,

“Take off your robes. You claim to know the consequences of your actions so you should be able to face them with the same confidence, you displayed today at the ceremony.”

Harry undid his robes and let them fall to the floor. He willed himself to stay strong, He wouldn’t break down again. He would not let Voldemort break him down again. Voldemort smirked in satisfaction as Harry’s robes landed on the floor. He drew close to him and Harry balled his hands into fists. He gritted his teeth and looked up at Voldemort,

“I will make you kill me.”


	34. Chapter 34

Voldemort scanned Harry from head and toe and he licked his lips in excitement. He decided that he liked this version of Harry,

“I won’t kill you but I can hurt you in more than one ways. Would you like that, Harry?”

Harry looked away and didn’t reply, Slowly Voldemort pulled his hand away from Harry’s cheek and picked up the polished wood box.

Harry stood against the wall with his body tensed up. He had been expecting Voldemort to torture him but when Voldemort just walked away from him, Harry felt more threatened. He watched as Voldemort opened the wooden box. He was curious to know what was in it,

“You can come and see for yourself, Harry.”

Harry hesitantly walked close to where Voldemort was standing and looked into the box. He didn’t know what he had been expecting but he wasn’t expecting a simple wine bottle. Voldemort saw the disappointed expression on Harry’s face and laughed softly,

“Your disappointment reflects on your ignorance in this matter. Tell me, Harry. Have you ever tasted wine?”

Harry was staring intently at the black bottle in an attempt to read the label when he looked up at Voldemort’s question,

“I’m fifteen. I haven’t tasted it at all.”

“You are turning sixteen in three days, Harry.”

That took Harry completely by surprise,

“What? Really?”

“Yes. But age is just a number, Harry. You are not like all the other teenage boys. You are different and you shall lead a much different life than them.”

Voldemort summoned two glasses and uncorked the bottle with a flick of his wand. He poured the wine gently in both glasses and held one out to Harry.

“I think it is time you got your first taste of alcohol.”

Harry looked at the glass apprehensively and thought hard about whether to drink it or not,

“I won’t drink.”

Voldemort laughed mirthlessly and set his glass on the table,

“You will drink.”

Harry stood his ground,

“I won’t.”

Harry was about to knock the glass out of Voldemort’s grip when Voldemort vanished. Harry was left momentarily dazed. Suddenly he felt an arm wrap around his throat and he felt the air knocked out of him. He heard Voldemort whispering in his ear,

“You know, Harry. I could just paralyze you and make you drink or I could cast the imperious curse on you. There are hundreds of ways I can make you do my bidding but do you know why I prefer to deal with you physically?”

Harry struggled against Voldemort’s tight grasp and tried to break free.

“I deal with you physically because I want you to know that I do not need magic to devastate you. You underestimate the power that I hold over you, Harry. You have disobeyed me every single time. And I have been too lenient with you.”

Harry continued his struggling. Suddenly Voldemort laughed out coldly and Harry felt his hair stand on edge by the sound,

“Even now you continue to defy me when you are well aware of the fact that I will not release you until I am done with you.”

Voldemort forced the glass to Harry’s lips. Harry kept his mouth tightly closed. He wouldn’t drink. No matter what Voldemort did he would not drink. Harry felt as Voldemort exerted more pressure on his throat. He was beginning to suffocate again. His survival instinct kicked in and Harry to open his mouth to breathe in more air. Voldemort immediately tipped the contents of the glass down his throat as soon as he opened his mouth to breathe and loosened his hold. As soon as the wine, touched his tongue, he felt the need to vomit. Voldemort sensed that and held his hand over Harry’s mouth,

“You are not going to vomit it out. Do you understand me, Harry?”

As Voldemort pressed his hand over Harry’s mouth and nose. Harry felt the suffocating feeling return and unwillingly he swallowed the horrible tasting liquid. Voldemort released Harry and threw him on the bed.

Harry realized that his head was spinning. He tried to sit up straight but realized that his head felt too heavy. He could feel his stomach churning and he wanted nothing more than to throw up. Voldemort walked close to him and sat down on the bed beside him. He forced Harry into a sitting position and held him in that position. Slowly he held another glass to Harry’s lips,

“Drink, Harry.”

Harry tried to struggle again but his body wouldn’t cooperate. Voldemort tsked and forced Harry’s mouth open and force-fed him the wine. Harry felt his body struggle to vomit. But Voldemort again used the same technique and forced him to swallow. As soon as he swallowed, Harry retched. His head felt too heavy and he unconsciously let it rest on Voldemort’s shoulder,

“One more glass, Harry. If you drink it without any resistance, I will let you rest.”

Harry’s mind lucidly processed what Voldemort had just said to him and he tried to move, but his body wouldn’t budge. He tried to speak but he could only manage to say,

“No……please…...”

Voldemort refilled the glass and held it to Harry’s lips again,

“Please……...No more……...”

“Ssshhh, Harry. You brought this upon yourself. Now open your mouth like a good boy, if you want me to stop.”

Harry fought hard against the urge to open his mouth but his mind had just stopped working. He unwillingly opened his mouth and drank the last glass without a fight. Silent tears rolled down his cheeks. Voldemort held him close and stroked his hair,

“Will you ever disobey me again, Harry?”

Harry couldn’t think, he couldn’t feel anymore. He just felt numb and helpless. Voldemort refilled the glass and held it up so that Harry could see it,

“Answer me or I will not hesitate to feed you the entire bottle.”

Harry’s head was throbbing like hell. He could feel his stomach churning worse than before and he retched again. Voldemort grabbed Harry’s hair tightly,

“I’m going to ask you one last time, Harry. Will you ever disobey me again?”

Harry was trying to speak but he couldn’t utter a single word. Voldemort brought the glass close to Harry’s lips again,

“I won’t……………please…………….no more.”

“You won’t what?”

“I won’t …………disobey you again.”

Harry’s head slumped back against Voldemort’s shoulder as he cried silently. Everything felt too heavy. The urge to vomit returned but Voldemort held his hand to Harry’s mouth,

“Never underestimate me, Harry. You have already been defeated. Accept that.”

Harry stared emptily at the wall and felt his eyelids growing heavy. Everything around him had started to spin ten times faster. Unconsciously he held onto Voldemort’s arm tightly and buried his face in his shoulder. He enjoyed the way Harry held him for support. Voldemort patted Harry’s head softly and held him close,

“Harry, sleep now.”

Immediately Harry fell asleep. Voldemort held him close to his chest. He could almost feel the piece of his soul inside him. Harry could never know his true value. He was irreplaceable and for that reason he could never die.

Slowly he combed his fingers through Harry’s hair. He knew that Harry would disobey him again. It was in his nature. Some part of him enjoyed Harry’s rebellious nature. He enjoyed the power he felt when he punished the boy for his disobedience. His original plan had been to violate the boy but Lucius’s gift had worked just as well. His thoughts were directed to the upcoming meeting and how much Harry had to learn in so little time. He was confident that the boy would learn. He leaned down and kissed his head gently,

“You will learn, Harry.”


	35. Chapter 35

When Harry came to his senses, the first thing he felt was a metallic bitter taste in his mouth and the incredibly strong urge to vomit. When he opened his eyes, he realized that his vision was blurry. He raised his hand to his face and he realized that his glasses were gone. He tried to sit up but as soon as he raised himself up, his vision spun and his head collapsed back on the pillow.

He closed his eyes again and as he remembered last night’s events, unbidden tears filled his eyes. He had decided to be strong. He had decided that he wouldn’t obey him but Voldemort had broken him down with just three glasses of wine. He felt pathetic. Something didn’t feel right to him though. It was just an uneasy feeling in his mind that something was off. He had watched Voldemort drink, he had even seen Sirius drink. As far as he had observed alcohol didn’t affect the drinker after just one glass.  Why had he been so immediately affected by alcohol? Was it because it was his first time? That couldn’t be right.

Another thought emerged in his mind. What if it wasn’t wine? What if it was something else? Voldemort wanted nothing more than to torment him so anything was possible. Suddenly Voldemort’s voice made him jump,

“You are right about one thing, Harry. I do enjoy tormenting you.”

Harry opened his eyes and looked around with his blurry vision. Now that he tried to look closely he realized that the room was different. The wallpaper was green instead of black. And unlike the previous room, this one was filled with sunlight. He nearly jumped when he felt Voldemort’s hand on his shoulder. He turned around swiftly and the action caused his head to throb with pain. He closed his eyes again and held his head with both hands,

“It seems like you are still feeling the after effects of last night’s intoxication.”

Harry decided to ask the question burning in his mind.

“What did……What did you feed me?

Voldemort laughed softly and caressed Harry’s cheeks,

“It was wine, Harry.”

Harry opened his eyes and looked at Voldemort’s fuzzy outline,

“It couldn’t have been…………. No one gets intoxicated with just one glass.”

Voldemort laughed again and then Harry felt Voldemort place his glasses on his nose. Immediately everything came into clearer focus. He could see Voldemort’s amused expression and he realized that Voldemort had been sleeping next to him again. Voldemort picked up the bottle from the side table and held it close to Harry. Harry immediately recognized it as the same bottle from last night.

“Read the label, Harry.”

Harry realized that he had been trying to read the label last night as well but Voldemort had conveniently distracted him. It was in a different language, that’s why he hadn’t been able to read it last night. The only thing Harry could read was the year on the bottle. It read 1795. He wondered if it was made in that year. Voldemort took the bottle from Harry’s hand and read,

“Krovavoye vino. It is Russian, Harry. It is also called Vin de sânge in Romanian and Vinum sanguis in latin”

“What does it mean?”

“There is no need to get so impatient, Harry. You were wondering earlier why you were affected so immediately by wine? And whether I fed you something else. You did drink wine, last night, Harry. However, this is not ordinary wine. It is perhaps one of the most expensive wines in the world. As it was your first time, it would take you approximately six glasses of any ordinary alcoholic beverage before you can feel the inebriation. However, this wine is ten times more potent. It is poison for ordinary witches and wizards.”

Harry’s mind, despite being numb, was starting to work,

“Poison???”

“Yes, Harry. Due to its unnatural potency, it is capable of causing death.”

Harry wondered if it was poison then why wasn’t he dead. It would have been so much better if he had just died,

“Why didn’t it kill me?”

Voldemort had thought of this. The real reason was the horcrux inside Harry. But Harry could not know that so he had concocted another story. Slowly he raised his hand too Harry’s forehead and touched his scar. Harry expected pain to spark up there but it didn’t,

“The wine cannot kill you because you are immune to it, Harry. You are immune to every poison on this earth.”

“Why?”

“Harry, think. I want you to connect the dots.”

Harry was thinking hard while Voldemort tapped his scar in a rhythmic pattern. Suddenly it struck him,

“My scar…...I survived your killing curse.”

“Very good, Harry.”

Voldemort felt victorious. He had successfully planted a false story in Harry’s mind and discouraged him from committing suicide by ingesting any poison.

“You didn’t tell me what it means”

“It means Blood wine.”

Harry felt like he had been struck by lightning. Surely it was just a name because of its colour. It couldn’t be……… His train of thought was soon derailed as Voldemort laughed maniacally. And Harry knew that could only mean one thing.

Harry was about to get up when Voldemort came over him. He pinned Harry’s hands on either side of his head and straddled him with his body. Harry struggled senselessly. He didn’t know what his body was doing. He just felt detached and disgusted. He was about to retch when Voldemort forced his lips on his and kissed him violently. Harry’s body continued to struggle as Voldemort continued to kiss him. Harry had his eyes closed as he silently wept. Voldemort pulled away his lips and looked at Harry,

“It was only fermented human blood. Just relax, Harry.”

Harry gagged again and struggled harder against Voldemort,

“Kill me……...please just kill me……...”

Voldemort grabbed his chin tightly,

“I will not kill you.”

Voldemort grabbed Harry by the shoulders and shook him,

“Come to your senses or I will restrain you to this bed again.”

Harry’s stopped struggling and he cried. He cried as hard as he could. Voldemort held him tightly,

“Look at me.”

Harry kept his closed and continued to cry. Voldemort grabbed his face and made him look up,

“Look at me now, Harry!!!!!”

Harry cautiously opened his eyes and immediately his gaze was met with Voldemort’s smouldering one,

“I can’t bear this anymore. I can’t…………kill me if you can’t let me go……………”

Voldemort put his finger to Harry’s lips,

“Ssshhh, Harry. I will not let you go and I will not kill you. Enduring this is your fate. Accept that.”

“I can’t…………I can’t endure much more. You’ve inflicted every kind of torture on me. Why haven’t you grown tired of me yet?”

Harry cried more. Voldemort kissed his eyes softly and wiped away the tears,

“You are my most fascinating possession, Harry. Why would I ever grow tired of you?”

Voldemort cupped his face with both hands and kissed his forehead softly,

“You will endure all my transgressions and all my tortures for the sake of everyone you love. The order will soon be under my control. Hogwarts and the ministry shall soon be captured. Your pleas will be the only thing that shall save them. You must endure if you wish for them to stay alive.”

Harry looked up at Voldemort in horror as Voldemort chuckled softly,

“The meeting is next week, Harry, I want you to focus all your energies on preparing yourself for that. I will not repeat myself. I want your performance to be exemplary. Is that understood?”

Harry nodded silently. Voldemort released him and stood up,

“I shall check up on you tonight. Drink this before breakfast. It shall help with your headache and nausea. Behave yourself in my absence”

Voldemort summoned a potion and set it down on the side table. Harry watched as Voldemort changed from his pyjamas into a pair of tight black pants and a deep purple silk shirt. And in a matter of seconds, he was gone. Leaving Harry to dwell on last night’s events alone


	36. Chapter 36

Harry took a deep breath. He sat up straight and picked up the potion from the side table and drank it down in one gulp. He tried not to think about the fact that he had drank actual blood last night but it wouldn’t leave his mind. Every time he remembered it, he felt a shiver run down his spine and the need to vomit. Harry felt the potion taking effect and his headache was nearly gone. Slowly he sat up straight and got up to his feet. He looked down at himself and noticed that he was wearing the pyjamas again. Voldemort must have changed his clothes last night.

Harry walked to the bathroom and without taking off his clothes stood under the shower. As soon as he felt the cold-water rush over him, he felt an unknown pleasure, he wanted the water to take away all the pain and suffering from him. He wanted it to wash away all the impurities that Voldemort had bestowed upon him. He was so sick and tired of all of this. He felt his clothes get heavier, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t hold it in any longer, he cried out loud. He collapsed on his knees and screamed on the top of his lungs. He knew that he would have to live with this. He would have to endure, just like Voldemort had said. Things would never be normal for him again. Harry rested his head against the tiled wall and allowed the water to rush over him.

After a few minutes, when he was starting to feel better, he stood up and walked out of the bathroom. He realized that his heavily soaked clothes were dripping all over the carpet but the carpet was drying up by itself as soon as it got wet. Harry saw a towel waiting for him on the bed. He picked it up and dried himself of. As he was drying himself off the bandages came off his wrist again. He walked back inside the bathroom and looked through the cabinets for bandages but found none. He decided to leave the wound open and came out. He saw fresh bandages, a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt on the bed that had definitely not been there before. Harry changed out of his wet clothes and wore the dry ones. He bandaged his wrist again and made sure that the wound was properly dressed.

After he was done changing, a tray of breakfast appeared for him. He didn’t have much of an appetite but he knew he would have to eat. He ate his toast and eggs in silence and then sipped his tea. While he was drinking his tea, his gaze landed on a clock and his blood ran cold as he realized what the time was. It was nearly 11 AM. He left his tea on the tray and rushed out of the room. He looked around the corridor but he had no idea where the library was and it would take him all day if he searched every room in this wretched castle. Suddenly a metal knight spoke up,

“Name your location and we shall lead the way.”

Harry turned to it and looked at it in shock but he had no time to waste,

“Library…I need to get to the library.”

The knight adjusted his position and went still. Harry noticed that both his arms were pointing to the same direction now. Harry ran in that direction, until he saw another metal knight. He saw that both his arms were pointing in the same direction too. Harry followed the directions, the knights gave him until he reached a pair of oak doors. Harry pushed them open and his mouth fell open in awe as to what he encountered. The library was enormous, it was at least three times larger than the Hogwarts Library. Harry felt terrified. How was he going to find the books he needed? He walked ahead and immediately a leather clad book appeared in front of him. Harry opened it and saw only one sentence written on the first page,

“Write the name of the section, you require books from.”

A Quill popped in front of him. Harry took it and began to write the topics Voldemort had told him. When he was done, the quill vanished and the book began to float in a particular direction. Harry followed it up a flight of steps and he came to a halt as it stopped in front of a large shelf. Harry read the label on the shelf and he knew it was the right section. The book vanished and Harry began searching through the shelves for anything that could help him. He saw a few books that he thought might be relevant to what he was supposed to learn. He picked them up and walked to a table.

Harry opened the first book and began studying. He had gotten half way through it when a plate of sandwiches appeared on the table besides him. Harry ignored it and continued his reading. After a few more minutes, a tray laden with a jug of water and a glass appeared. Harry poured himself a glass and drank it down. He looked up at the huge gold clock ticking on the wall and realized that it was nearly 3 PM. He got up from his seat and stretched out. He decided to search for something else in the library. He walked down the stairs to the point where he had seen the book. He was relieved to find that the book was still there.

Harry opened it up and just like before, the quill popped in front of him. He took it and with trembling fingers wrote down “blood wine”.

As soon as he put the quill down, the book started floating and this time it led him up two flights of stairs. It was a section completely devoted to wines and their history. He looked through the shelves and found what he was looking for. He hesitantly pulled it out and took it back to the table where he was studying. He contemplated whether he should read it or not. After much deliberation, he drew a deep breath and opened the book. He realized that the pages were all blank. He flipped through the book until he reached the last page. There was only one word written there. “Blood.”

Harry thought for several minutes what it must mean until he saw something shine in the spine of the book. He pulled the book to his eye level and felt the spine with his fingers to locate what was shining. Suddenly his fingers came in felt something hard in the spine. He looked for a way to pull whatever it was out but he didn’t know how to. Suddenly he had an idea and he inverted the book on the table and as the spine of the book relaxed, he saw the tip of something metallic. He pulled it out and when he realized what it was, Harry immediately recoiled and the item fell from his fingers and landed with a soft clink on the marble floor.


	37. Chapter 37

Harry stared down at the blood-stained metal quill and he felt a sort of a pull towards it. He felt attracted towards it. Harry cautiously bent down and picked it up. He observed it closely and noticed that there was something carved over the entire quill. He noticed that the tip of the quill was sharp and he wondered how anyone could write with it.

His gaze travelled over the one book and the single word written on it. He looked at the quill again and then it started to make sense to him. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins. His hands were still trembling. Harry held the tip of the quill to his thumb and pressed it until the tip pierced his skin and drew out blood. Harry held the now blood covered tip of the quill to the page and immediately the paper soaked the blood and it was as if the quill and the book both had come to life.

The pages started to turn on their own until the first page was reached. The quill fell from Harry’s fingers in surprise. It immediately stood up on its own and began to write feverishly on the book. Harry watched in wonder as crimson words began to appear on the book. He was mesmerized by the way the quill worked. As soon as it finished writing a page, the page would turn and the quill would start writing at an even faster pace. Harry wanted to read what it was writing but he was slowly starting to feel light headed. He extended his hand towards the jug of water to pour himself a glass of water but as soon as he picked it up, his grip loosened and the jug fell from his grasp and shattered on the table.

Harry slumped back in the seat and continued to watch the quill as it continued to write. He didn’t know what was wrong with him all of a sudden. He tried to sit up straight but his body felt too tired and exhausted. Suddenly his ears started to ring with the sound of laughter. Evil, mirthless laughter. It was Voldemort’s laughter, but Voldemort wasn’t here. He wasn’t supposed to be here for at least six more hours. Harry shook his head and held his hands to his ears to muffle the sound because the laughter was steadily growing louder and louder until it was ear shattering. Harry screamed as loud as his lungs would allow,

“STOP………. PLEASE STOP”

He attempted to get up from the seat but his body wouldn’t move. Suddenly the sound of the laughter was replaced by the image of Voldemort, walking close to him. His eyes were burning flames of the deepest crimson and his face displayed the sinful of smirks. Harry pushed himself back in the seat as much as he could. He knew that smirk all too well. When Voldemort was inches from him, Harry screamed again,

“DON’T TOUCH ME……...DON’T……”

Harry’s screams were drowned out as Voldemort held him and forced his tongue in his mouth. Harry tried to struggle against him but his body would not allow it. He felt as Voldemort’s hand slowly undid his jeans. He attempted to struggle again. He screamed again but his screams were muffled by Voldemort’s tongue in his mouth.

He fell off the chair and his back collided against the marble floor. He watched in horror as Voldemort vanished his own clothes and pulled down his jeans. Harry tried to kick his legs, he tried to push Voldemort away but it was as if his body was made of lead. He couldn’t move an inch. The only thing he could do was to watch as Voldemort approached him and straddled him. He felt himself being forced on his hands and knees and he wanted nothing more than to get out of that position. Suddenly he felt Voldemort’s rock hard erection rub against his entrance and he screamed again,

“NO……………NOOOOOO…….”

His screams were muffled again as Voldemort forced his fingers in Harry’s mouth. And before he was even prepared, he felt excruciating pain as Voldemort entered him with a single thrust. He tried to move again but it was as if his body was paralyzed in that position. He screamed as loud as he could. He screamed until he felt as if his lungs would tear. Immediately he felt Voldemort pull out of him and thrust into him again. He felt as Voldemort held him by his hair with one hand and his waist by the other. Voldemort continued to thrust into him and pull out of him until he had built a steady rhythm. Voldemort’s pace fastened and Harry felt as if the pain would kill him. He continued to scream but Voldemort effectively kept him quiet.

Harry felt as Voldemort started moving in and out of him at a break neck speed and Harry’s world was drowning in anguish. Voldemort pulled his fingers out of Harry’s mouth and Harry’s agonizing screams filled the library. And just when he thought that he couldn’t endure the pain anymore. He felt Voldemort cum inside him and as soon as he came, he pulled out of Harry and released him unceremoniously. Harry collapsed on the floor and he watched as his world began to grow dark.


	38. Chapter 38

Voldemort was chairing a progress meeting when he had the nagging feeling at the back of his mind that something was not right. He was never one to ignore his instinct and he was aware that this feeling could only be associated with the boy. He rose from his throne and without a word, disapparated. He appeared outside the room, he had left Harry in and entered it. As soon as he realized it was empty, he knew that Harry must be in the library. He was almost halfway there when he heard Harry’s screams. That alarmed him and he doubled his pace and rushed to the library. As soon as he entered the library, Harry’s screams became more pronounced,

““STOP………. PLEASE STOP”

Voldemort swooped through the library and found Harry on the first floor with his hands over his ears and screaming. He looked into Harry’s eyes and realized the immense fear they held. Suddenly his gaze landed on the quill writing by itself in the book. It didn’t take him a second glance to know what it was and what Harry had done. He slowly walked closer to Harry and Harry’s eyes widened impossibly in fear. He had no doubt that the boy was hallucinating as the quill used his blood as ink to fill up the book. Voldemort observed the book and realized that it was half done. That meant that the boy had lost nearly half of the blood from his body. Why was the boy so prone to all kinds of disasters?

He summoned a blood replenishing potion and drew closer to Harry. He saw how Harry moved back in his seat and tried to avoid. He saw the fear in his eyes grow and Harry screamed again,

““DON’T TOUCH ME……...DON’T……”

 Voldemort knew that feeding him the potion in this state would be no easy task so he held him tightly and forced the flask to his lips and made him drink. Voldemort watched as Harry’s eyes closed and his screaming grew weak. Voldemort continued to hold him tightly because Harry’s body continued to spasm. He knew that the boy was still hallucinating and he was aware of exactly what his hallucination comprised of.

Voldemort knew that the potion would not work. Harry was constantly losing blood and there was no way to stop the quill. It would only stop when either Harry ran out of blood or the book was finished. He felt angry at the boy but at the moment his only concern was keeping him alive. He released Harry for a moment but just as soon as he released him, Harry fell off the chair and he landed on his back on the floor. Voldemort summoned a dagger and pulled back the sleeve of his robe. He made a deep cut in his forearm and kneeled beside Harry’s laying form. Voldemort raised him up into a sitting position and as soon as he did, Harry screamed again,

““NO……………NOOOOOO…….”

He forced his forearm over Harry’s mouth and held him by his hair to keep his head still. He watched in satisfaction as Harry readily began to drink the blood flowing out of the cut. Harry’s body continued to spasm and twitch but Voldemort held him in place. It went on for minutes. He could feel Harry’s body slowly beginning to grow limp and he saw that the quill was beginning to slow down as well. As soon as the quill came to a complete halt, Voldemort pulled away his arm from Harry’s mouth and as soon as he did, anguish filled screams echoed through the library. Voldemort released him and Harry collapsed on the floor.

He healed the cut with his wand. He left Harry’s unconscious form on the floor and stood up to examine the book. After examining the still quill, he opened the first page of the book and after reading what was written there, he tore out the page and pocketed it along with the quill. After he was satisfied that Harry was recovering, he vanished from the room leaving Harry lying on the marble floor.


	39. Chapter 39

When Harry regained consciousness, the first thing he felt was the cold marble floor underneath him. As soon as he remembered what had happened, he shot up to his feet and looked down at himself. He was completely dressed and as he checked himself, he realized that there was no sign of abuse. He collapsed in the chair and buried his face in his hands. It had to be real. It had felt too real. But he knew Voldemort well enough now. He would have never erased the signs before showing them to him and claiming his power over him.

Harry suddenly remembered the book and looked up to find it sitting innocently on the table. Hesitantly he opened it and flipped through the pages. Deep crimson words now adorned the once blank pages and Harry flipped back a few pages and was just about to read when he heard Voldemort’s voice calling him,

“Come down, Harry.”

Harry instantly closed the book and placed it at the bottom of the stack of books that he had collected for reading. He looked up at the time to find that it was nearly midnight. Before going down, Harry decided to pick up the book he had been reading before he had fallen asleep or passed out or whatever. He still couldn’t understand what had happened to him.

He made his way down the stairs and found Voldemort seated in a comfortable armchair. As soon as he saw Harry descending the stairs, he beckoned him closer. Harry walked closer to where Voldemort was seated and stopped a few inches away. Voldemort extended his hand and Harry knew he was asking for the book in his hand. Harry handed it to him silently and watched as Voldemort examined the book. He knew Voldemort was going to test him on whatever he had learnt and he knew that he was in trouble because he hadn’t learnt anything. Harry was staring down at his feet when Voldemort spoke,

“Harry, I find your performance highly disappointing. Give me one good reason to overlook this otherwise prepare yourself to face your punishment.”

Harry immediately looked up from the floor and decided to give his explanation,

“I was studying but I got distracted.”

Voldemort chortled softly and then asked,

“Pray tell what distracted you?”

Harry contemplated whether he should tell Voldemort about the book on Blood wine and the silver quill and decided to be honest,

“I wanted to research Blood Wine and I found a book on it but it was blank except for one word on its last page and that was blood. But something in its spine caught my attention and I took it out and I realized that it was a quill. I don’t know…...I pricked myself with it and its tip got covered in blood and as soon as I held it to the page, it started writing by itself……...”

Voldemort rose his hand and Harry immediately went quiet,

“Show me proof, Harry and I shall believe you.”

“Can I go up and get it?”

Voldemort smiled,

“Very well.”

Harry raced up the stairs and went to the table he had been studying on. He pulled the book out from under the stack and began looking for the quill. Harry searched on top of the table and under it. He searched in every book, but there was no sign of it, as he was searching, he cut his thumb on a piece of glass from the shattered jug. He sucked on it and continued searching but there was no sign of it. As he was searching the table, he saw Voldemort appear behind him,

“Harry, admit your lie and I shall be merciful.”

Harry continued his frantic searching,

“It was here. It was real. I held it in my hand and pricked myself with it.”

Voldemort gripped his shoulder tightly and spun him around to face him,

“Where did you prick yourself with it?”

Harry remembered the whole scene too vividly and replied,

“My thumb……I pricked my right thumb.”

Voldemort gripped his right hand and examined his right thumb,

“Harry, do you consider me to be a fool? You just cut yourself on glass while you were searching.”

Harry was perplexed. What was happening to him? Had the quill been a dream as well? No, the quill was real. It had been real,

“I’m not lying. I swear I’m not lying. You can give me Veritaserum. That will prove it.”

Harry felt as Voldemort’s grip grew tight on his hand. Harry stood still and brought the memory of it to the forefront of his mind so that Voldemort could somehow pick up on it. Voldemort suddenly released Harry’s hand and threw him on the floor. Harry saw as Voldemort gazed at him predatorily,

“Did I violate you as well, Harry?”

Harry closed his eyes and he felt Voldemort grip his hair,

“Answer me!!!”

Harry couldn’t reply, he kept his lips shut. He didn’t know what was real anymore. Was this even happening? Was Voldemort real? Harry’s mind was reeling. He was brought out of his musings, as Voldemort’s grip tightened on his hair and his head was pulled up. Harry opened his eyes and his gaze was met by Voldemort’s furious glare,

“I don’t know……... I don’t know anything anymore……Just punish me. I’ll work harder tomorrow.”

Voldemort smirked wickedly and released Harry’s hair,

“Get up, Harry. I have decided not to punish you today. But if you disappoint me tomorrow then you shall be responsible for your own circumstances.”

Harry got up to his feet and spoke,

“Thankyou.”

Voldemort’s smirk widened and he patted Harry on his cheek softly,

“Good boy.”


	40. Chapter 40

Harry immediately recoiled from Voldemort’s touch and took a few steps back. Voldemort smiled in satisfaction and walked away from Harry. Harry stood rooted to the spot, unsure of what he was supposed to do,

“Harry, do you plan on spending the night here?”

Harry looked around the massive library and then shook his head to say no. Voldemort crooked his finger and Harry took that as a signal to follow him. Harry followed Voldemort through the labyrinth of corridors until suddenly Harry realized that they were standing in the grand entrance of the castle. Voldemort was walking out of the doors and Harry realized that he was finally getting out of the castle. He ran to catch up with Voldemort and as soon as he stepped out of the doors, he felt the cool night air strike his face. He stopped in his tracks and breathed in as much of it as he possibly could.

Voldemort watched Harry as he breathed in the night air as a thirsty traveller drank water after days of dehydration. He summoned a white wooden bench and took a seat,

“Harry, come here and sit.”

Harry walked close to where Voldemort was seated and hesitated. He didn’t want to sit next to Voldemort. But he noticed the impatient look in Voldemort’s eyes and decided to sit. As soon as he sat. Voldemort summoned a plate full of sandwiches and handed it to Harry,

“You were supposed to eat these during the day.”

Harry picked one from the plate and took a bite. He looked around the orchard and breathed in the wonderful scent of the hundreds of flowers present there. He felt good. He felt better than he had felt in days. He felt as if a storm within him had been calmed.

Voldemort saw the peace on Harry’s face and he knew that at this moment, Harry had forgotten all about his troubles. There was nothing on his mind except for taking in as much of the outside air as he possibly could. But he knew very well that this peace would not last. As soon as Harry would recall everything from his surrender to his violation, that emotional storm would stir up inside him again and destroy everything.

Harry finished his sandwich and looked down at the velvety green grass and he wanted nothing more than to feel it underneath his feet but he was reluctant to take his shoes off in front of Voldemort.  Voldemort read the desire in Harry’s eyes and spoke,

“You can take off your shoes, Harry. There is no need to hesitate on my account.”

Harry set the plate of sandwiches down on the bench and proceeded to untying his shoelaces. When he was done, he pulled off his socks and slowly rested his bare feet on the ground. At that moment, all he could feel was the softness of the cool moist grass. Harry leaned back in the bench and when he looked up, he saw a sky full of brilliantly shining stars. He felt captivated by the beauty. He had never seen a starrier sky and he was forced to ask,

“Is this real?”

Voldemort laughed his soft musical laugh and gently replied,

“It is as real as you and I.”

 Harry kept his gaze fixated on the sky and tried to store that image in his mind. He didn’t ever want to forget this. He didn’t know how long he just kept staring up at the sky and admiring its beauty but he could feel sleep slowly creeping over him but he didn’t want to get up. He didn’t want to go back inside. He didn’t know when his eyelids grew heavy and drooped, hiding the glittering night sky from his view and pushing him into the dark recesses of sleep.

Voldemort saw as Harry was drowned in the ocean of sleep. He crossed the gap between them and gently pushed the dark curls away from Harry’s forehead. Gently he unbandaged Harry wrist and a pleased smirk graced his lips. Harry’s magic had finally begun the healing process. He bandaged it again and decided to take Harry inside now. Slowly he picked Harry up in his arms and carried him like one would carry a new born baby. He wasn’t surprised to feel that Harry weighed almost nothing. He carried him with ease back inside and up to the room. Once inside the room, Voldemort was about to lay him down on the bed when he noticed Harry’s tight grasp on his robes. A truly evil smile graced his lips and he kissed Harry’s forehead gently,

“Do not fret, Harry. I shall never let you go. Your place is in my arms forevermore.”

He gently unclenched Harry’s fingers from his robes and laid Harry down on the bed. He vanished his robes and changed into his black silk pyjamas and got in bed besides Harry. Gently he kissed Harry’s lips softly and turned down the lights,

“Sleep well, Harry.”


	41. Chapter 41

Harry woke up with a start as he felt cold water came in contact with his warm skin. He immediately sat up straight and realized that he was actually soaked in cold water. He looked around and was grateful to know that Voldemort was nowhere in sight. His gaze travelled to the clock and he realized that it was 11:30. He was late. Now he knew why he was soaked in cold water. He got out of bed quickly, washed his face and changed into a pair of dry jeans a grey t shirt waiting for him on the bed. A tray of breakfast appeared but he ignored it and rushed out of the room.

He was grateful to know that the metal armours were already pointing in the direction of the library. When he reached there, he ran up to the table he had been studying on and found all his books there. The only thing that was missing were the shards of glass from the broken jug. He sat down and opened the book he had reading before he had gotten distracted.

Harry had only gotten through a few pages when his stomach began to grumble noisily. He wondered if the breakfast tray would still be in the room but he dismissed the idea of going back to the room instantly. He couldn’t afford to waste time today. He had just gotten back to studying when a tray laden with sandwiches appeared in front of him. Harry picked up a sandwich and finished it in two bites and then picked another.

Once his grumbling stomach was satisfied, he went back to his reading and he didn’t stop until he had gotten through the entire book. He looked at the clock and realized that it was nearly 7 PM. After closing the book, he tried to review what he had learnt and he was relieved to know that he knew most of the topics he had covered. He wanted to get up and explore the castle but something told him that Voldemort would not appreciate it.

Harry was just lost in these thoughts when the book on blood wine caught his eye. He picked it up and flipped through the pages until his gaze landed on an image. At first, he couldn’t make out what it was but when he looked closely. He began to make out figures and when the entire picture dawned on him, he immediately closed the book and clutched his throat. What had Voldemort fed him? How had he been able to drink something like that? He closed his eyes and rested his head on the table but the image kept haunting him.

The image had depicted several men with slit throats, hung upside down by chains over large cauldrons in which the blood dripping from their throats was collected. Harry struggled to erase the image from his mind. But the more he tried, the more it unnerved him. He felt sick and his urge to vomit was stronger than ever. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and he knew it could only belong to one person. He sat up straight but didn’t turn around,

“Harry, did you study well?”

Harry nodded quietly and stared down at table. Voldemort could feel that Harry’s shoulders were tense. The boy was not fine. He moved his hand to Harry’s hair and gently combed his fingers through them,

“What happened, Harry?”

Harry wanted to ask Voldemort why he had fed him something so evil, something so disgusting but he couldn’t bring himself to talk. He couldn’t voice his thoughts. He just wanted to cry. Harry knew Voldemort must have read his thoughts because he felt Voldemort’s grip tighten on his hair,

“If you cry, I shall force feed you the rest of the bottle.”

Harry nodded quietly and kept his emotions at bay. Slowly Voldemort’s grip loosened on his hair and Harry felt him summon a chair and sit down beside him. He didn’t look up from the table. He felt Voldemort take his hand in his. Harry was just about to pull his hand away when Voldemort gripped it tightly,

“Do not attempt to struggle.”

Harry did not miss the underlying threat in that simple statement and went still. Harry felt Voldemort trace his fingers over the palm of his hand and he shuddered involuntarily,

“It is said that the lines on ones’ palm reflect their fate. Do you believe that, Harry?”

Harry looked down at his palm and thought for a while,

“I do.”

“You are truly deluded then, Harry. Your fate is not written on the palms of your hands. It is written by me.”

“If you wrote my fate, then why didn’t you just write death for me as soon as I was born? I would have never been the reason for your downfall then.”

 Voldemort laughed gently and cupped Harry’s face in his hands,

“You were not my downfall, Harry. You were a blessing bestowed upon me by lady luck herself. I was just too blind to see it but now………now that I know your worth. I shall never let you go.”

Voldemort slowly released Harry and asked,

“Briefly explain the diplomatic culture of goblins.”

Harry looked up and he said everything he could remember from the goblin section. Voldemort smiled, apparently satisfied by Harry’s response and proceeded to barrage Harry with questions. And when Harry managed to answer every single of them correctly, Voldemort clapped his hands in applause,

“You seem to have fulfilled your promise, Harry. If you keep up this performance, I might even grant you, your wand.”

Harry felt a glimmer of hope again and he wanted to hold on to it with his life.


	42. Chapter 42

Harry was lying in bed and staring emptily up at the ceiling. Voldemort had forced him to eat dinner and told him to sleep. After giving Harry precise instructions about what he was supposed to study the next day, he had departed. Now Harry was lying sleeplessly on the bed. He didn’t know why he wasn’t feeling sleepy but his guess was that the image was still fresh in his mind. Harry suddenly heard the clink and when he looked around, he found a flask on the side table. He picked it up and recognized the potion as a dreamless sleep draught. Thoughtlessly he uncorked it and took a large gulp. And as soon as he swallowed the sweet liquid, his head hit the pillow and he felt his eyelids grow heavy. Very soon Harry was fast asleep.

The next day, Harry followed the same routine and by 9 PM, he was sitting idly in the library waiting for Voldemort to return. He had covered all the topics that Voldemort had instructed him to and even though he knew he was nothing more than a prisoner, he couldn’t help but feel bored. Now that he thought about it, his life had begun to revolve around books and Voldemort’s threats. He was about to stand up from his seat when he heard the swishing of a cloak and he knew Voldemort had returned. Harry stared down at the table and didn’t turn around to face Voldemort,

“Harry, how was your day?”

The only word that came to his mind when he thought about his day was boring. Harry drew a deep breath and decided to voice that thought,

“It was boring.”

Voldemort’s expression morphed into a look of utter amusement,

“Harry, I believe that you are not ready to face my brand of entertainment. You should be grateful that you are bored and that I am allowing you to feel bored.”

Harry kept staring at the table and Voldemort’s words kept echoing in his mind. Voldemort snapped his fingers and Harry was brought out of his thoughts,

“I have a surprise for you, Harry. In fact, today I have several surprises for you.”

Harry immediately turned his head to face Voldemort,

“What surprises?”

He was terrified because Voldemort’s surprises always meant more misery for him and he couldn’t handle it. Harry felt Voldemort take his arm and he was made to stand up. He stood up quietly.

Voldemort noticed how the colour had drained from Harry’s face and how he had grown pale. Harry felt Voldemort’s grip tighten on his arm and without warning, the sensation of being forced through a tight pipe engulfed. But as soon as it had come, it was gone. Harry nearly collapsed on his knees but Voldemort’s grip kept him upright and on his feet.

When Harry was stable enough, Voldemort released his arm. Harry looked around and found himself in the same dining hall that he had been in, a few days ago. And he saw a huge crowd of people gathered there, who were no doubt death eaters by the manner in which they were kneeling in front of their lord.

When Voldemort signalled them to stand, Harry realized that they were all well-dressed and none of them was wearing their death eater robes or masks. Harry suddenly saw Sirius standing a few feet away from, him dressed in expensive looking dress robes and Harry looked away. He saw Bellatrix, Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, Avery and several other death eaters that he recognized from the newspaper. Harry wanted to ask what was happening and why he was here in the middle of this elegant crowd but he was afraid that he wouldn’t like the answer. Harry felt Voldemort’s arm snake around his waist and he felt a chill run down his spine that made him shudder. Voldemort started speaking,

“Harry is not aware of the reason behind today’s feast. Neither is he aware of this day’s importance. Today at midnight he shall turn sixteen…...”

Voldemort’s sentence was cut short as a shocked cry escaped Harry’s lips. It was his birthday. Voldemort had even told him that he was turning sixteen in three days. He would be turning sixteen tonight at midnight.  He had always looked forward to it ever since he had started going to Hogwarts. But now he just wished he hadn’t been born. Harry felt tears brimming in his eyes but as soon as they were about to flow. He felt Voldemort’s grip tighten around his waist and Harry sensed the warning. Immediately he wiped away the remaining the tears and stood quietly,

“As I was saying, tonight at midnight he shall turn sixteen. This is his first birthday among us and I believe that it is our responsibility to make it special for him. Let the feast begin.”

Tables appeared laden with food and Harry noticed that just like last time, a table was set on the raised platform. Voldemort led Harry through the crowd towards the platform. Harry wanted to get away from Voldemort. He just felt as if he was suffocating. Voldemort’s grip tightened around his waist and he was directed up the stairs. Once they were on the raised platform. Voldemort cast a privacy charm and threw Harry brusquely on the floor. Harry landed on his side and he immediately scrambled up to his knees,

“Harry, do you find my hold suffocating?”

“Yes, whenever you touch me, whenever you are close……I just feel like I can’t breathe.”

Harry immediately felt Voldemort grip his hair tightly and his head was pulled back so that he was staring directly up into Voldemort’s crimson, hate filled eyes. Voldemort was smiling wickedly,

“I have found the perfect means to bind you to me, Harry. You will be surprised to see what I have procured for you as a birthday present.”

If Voldemort’s evil smirk was anything to go by, Harry knew that it was something extremely ruinous for him and he was beyond terrified.


	43. Chapter 43

Voldemort released his hair and Harry hands immediately flew to his burning scalp. He watched silently as Voldemort brought down the privacy charm,

“Get up, Harry. You do not wish for your godfather to see you like that, do you?”

Harry scrambled up to his feet immediately. Voldemort signalled him to sit and Harry sat down in the designated chair. He was terrified of what was coming. Everything inside him was shouting at him to run, to somehow escape. Harry looked down at his hands and realized that they were trembling uncontrollably. He gripped his knees tightly to make them steady. He was not weak. He had endured things that he had thought would be fatal to him. Nothing could be worse than what had already passed over him.

Harry took a deep breath and calmed himself down. He looked down at the death eaters dining together and then he spotted Sirius seated with Bellatrix and two more death eaters. He saw how Sirius chatted with them as if they were his old friends. Harry was brought out of his observation when he heard Voldemort’s voice,

“Eat your dinner, Harry. You did not eat during the day as well.”

Harry picked up the spoon and began to eat his soup. He could feel Voldemort’s gaze burning into him until he had finished his soup. When he finally looked up, he found that Voldemort was reading a copy of the Daily Prophet as he ate. Harry’s empty soup bowl was replaced by a plate that had roast chicken with a side of grilled vegetables and some white sauce on it. Harry wasn’t feeling hungry anymore so he decided to ignore the plate and just watched Sirius eat and chat with death eaters,

“Did I not tell you to eat, Harry?”

Harry realized that Voldemort hadn’t looked away from his newspaper,

“I finished my soup. I can’t eat anymore.”

Voldemort tsked and folded the newspaper,

“That is precisely the reason why you are so thin and frail.”

Harry looked up at Voldemort and met his gaze,

“But you can break me much more easily if I’m thin and weak.”

Voldemort licked his lips suggestively and Harry immediately looked away,

“I enjoy watching you struggle. I will enjoy taking you against your will and consent. If you do not eat you will not even have the strength to struggle.”

He unwillingly picked up his knife and fork and began to eat. Harry realized that the sauce tasted like lemon and butter. The chicken was quite flavourful and despite the fact that he had not been hungry, his plate was empty in a few minutes. As soon as he was done eating. The plate vanished and along with it the table vanished as well.

Voldemort stood up and Harry got up to his feet as well. He could feel his heart beating out of control. He took several deep breaths before he even felt a semblance of calm. Voldemort raised his wand and waved it. In a matter of seconds, an enormous three-tiered cake was hovering in front of them. Harry mentally counted the brilliantly burning candles and realized that they were exactly sixteen,

“Make a wish and blow out the candles, Harry.”

Harry looked down and his gaze was met with Sirius’s for a fraction of a second. He closed his eyes and thought hard about what he wanted the most. He wanted to get away from Voldemort. What was the point of wishing for something he would never get? He decided that he would not waste his wish upon himself. He wished that everyone he cared for would be safe from Voldemort. He wished it with all his heart and then blew out the candles. When he opened his eyes, he saw Voldemort smirking maliciously and then he felt him pat his back,

“I am glad to see that you are beginning to accept your fate.”

Harry took a step back and Voldemort’s smirk widened. He summoned a knife and handed it to Harry,

“Cut the cake, Harry.”

When Harry felt the cool handle of the knife in his hand, the first thought that crossed his mind was to slit his own wrist again. The next thought was to slit Voldemort’s throat. Harry shook his head and drew a deep breath. He knew very well that he would never be able to do both. Slowly with trembling fingers, he sliced through the cake and cheers and claps erupted from all sides. He closed his eyes and wanted to cry. He wanted to shut out this noise.

Voldemort took the knife from Harry’s hand and cut out a small piece from the cake. He held it to Harry’s mouth. Harry wanted to keep his lips sealed tightly but he had no choice and slowly he opened his mouth a bit and ate the cake from Voldemort’s hand. Harry swallowed with difficulty and looked away. Voldemort gripped his chin tightly and forced him to face him again. He wiped away the cream from his face and licked it. Harry trembled in fear and he felt as if his legs could no longer bear his weight,

“There is no need for you to fall on your knees in front of me, Harry……...yet.”

Voldemort took out a golden box from the inside pocket of his robes. Harry stared at it and once again his curiosity piqued,

“Black, as you are Harry’s only family. You must be present up here.”

Harry balled his hands into fists to keep them from trembling. What was Voldemort going to do to him? A thousand possibilities surfaced in his mind, each one more horrendous than the previous. Suddenly he felt someone’s hand on his shoulder. He spun around and was faced with Sirius. Harry immediately looked away,

“My lord, let me talk to him first. Let me prepare him for this.”

Voldemort raised his hand to silence him,

“He will endure it.”

Voldemort opened the box and Harry’s gaze fell upon the ring nested there. Immediately everything began to make sense, the elegant setting, the well-dressed death eaters……it all made sense now. Harry took several steps backwards until he nearly fell into Sirius. Sirius held his shoulders tightly and turned him around,

“Harry, listen to me.”

Harry tried to push Sirius away,

“No……. Nooooo…. let me go. You are not my godfather. You are not Sirius.”

Immediately Sirius hugged Harry tightly and buried his face in his chest. Harry cried on the top of his lungs. Sirius gently rubbed Harry’s back and kissed his head,

“Everything will be fine, Harry. Everything is going to be okay.”


	44. Chapter 44

Harry wrapped his arms around Sirius and wept. He felt Sirius rubbing his back and trying to comfort him but it wasn’t working like it had used to work,

“Save me Sirius………I’ll die.”

Sirius felt his heart break at how broken and desperate Harry sounded. But the mere fact that despite everything, Harry was here in his arms meant that his decision had been right. Harry was safer here. But the way Harry wept brought tears to his eyes. This wasn’t necessary. Harry was already vulnerable and disarmed. But he knew why Voldemort wanted him to wear the ring. The ring was a symbol of ownership. Voldemort was proving to his death eaters and the world that Harry belonged solely to him now,

“Harry, he won’t hurt you.”

Harry immediately pushed Sirius away and laughed hysterically,

“He won’t hurt me? Are you joking, Sirius? Do you even know what hurt means?”

Harry’s hysterical laughter turned into violent tears and he collapsed on his knees.

Sirius looked worriedly at Harry and then his mark began to burn. Sirius gripped his forearm tightly to curb the pain but he knew it would not disappear until he fulfilled Voldemort’s orders. He took out the small phial from the inner pocket of his robes and uncorked it. He cursed himself for doing this but it had to be done. He bent down besides Harry and forced the potion down Harry’s throat.

As soon as he felt the liquid being forced into his mouth, he struggled but it was too late. He had already swallowed the potion. He felt betrayed. Sirius stood up and he could see that the potion was beginning to affect Harry. Harry’s posture grew relaxed and his tears were drying up. Harry calmly got up to his feet and looked at Sirius,

“What did you give me?”

“The draught of peace.”

Harry laughed mockingly and patted Sirius on his cheek,

“I didn’t need it. The dead have plenty of peace.”

Harry walked away from him and made his way to Voldemort. Voldemort smiled sardonically and took out the ring from inside the golden box. Harry looked at it and felt his resolve crumbling but the draught was working. He would have been screaming and crying if Sirius hadn’t given him that potion,

“Extend your hand, Harry.”

Harry didn’t want to. Even though the potion was keeping him calm externally, everything inside him was screaming and burning.

“Black, come and help your Godson.”

Sirius walked close to Harry and gently took his left hand and extended it. Harry wanted to struggle, he wanted to pull away his hand but the potion prevented him. Harry felt Sirius take his other hand and felt him squeeze it reassuringly but Harry wasn’t reassured. This was his funeral and Sirius was among the death eaters that were participating in his requiem. In fact Sirius was the one who was burying him six feet under the ground.

Voldemort saw the immense amount of despair in Harry’s eyes and he felt aroused. Seeing Harry in this state made him want to ravage him. Voldemort looked down at the ring in his hand. Harry was the only one apart from him, worthy of wearing this. After all this was his family’s heirloom. He had acquired it from his so-called relatives. But the thing that made the ring special was the piece of his soul inside it. He was certain that it would develop a positive affinity with the piece of his soul residing within Harry.

Voldemort took Harry’s hand in his and gently slid the ring in Harry’s ring finger. Harry watched in horror as the ring adjusted to his finger and a faint glow began to emanate from it. Suddenly a surge of pain rushed from the finger straight to his heart and Harry clutched his chest as a cry escaped his lips. Sirius watched in horror and confusion as Harry collapsed on the floor and thrashed in pain. He was about to bend down when Voldemort forbade him,

“Your task is complete, Black. You may re-join your fellow death eaters.”

“But………. But my lord……...he is in pain.”

Suddenly the mark on his forearm began to burn and he clutched it tightly,

“Perhaps another night with the dementors is needed to make you more compliant.”

Sirius immediately fell to his knees and kissed Voldemort’s feet,

“No, my lord. I only wish to please you. Do not send me back to the dementors. I implore you.”

Voldemort laughed cruelly and kicked Sirius in the chest,

“You are dismissed.”

Without another word, Sirius rushed down from the platform and joined the rest of the death eaters.

Voldemort turned his attention back to Harry’s continuously writhing form on the ground. The ring was still glowing and he knew that it was still bonding with Harry. Harry’s eyes were closed and he had nearly passed out from the pain. He gripped his arm and raised him into a standing position. Voldemort wrapped one arm around Harry’s back to support his unsteady form and displayed him to the death eaters,

“Tonight, you have all witnessed as I, The Dark Lord have chosen Harry James Potter as my companion and spouse and he is to be my consort when I conquer the wizarding world. Soon, my loyal death eaters you shall witness me take over the world. That day, will mark the beginning of our rule over those who restrained us and underestimated us”

When he was finished speaking, he gently brought his lips close to Harry’s and kissed him. Harry moaned in his senselessness and feebly attempted to push Voldemort away. Voldemort pulled away his lips and gently stroked Harry’s neck,

“I share your excitement for our wedding night, Harry. It shall be marvellous.”

Voldemort was already undressing him with his lust filled eyes.


	45. Chapter 45

Voldemort summoned a divan and laid Harry down upon it. The ring had stopped glowing but he knew that Harry needed time to recover. He kissed his scar softly and then summoned a glass of wine. He made his way down the platform and raised his glass,

“I propose a toast……May this bond last forever……. Cheers.”

The death eaters all raised their glasses and spoke in unison,

“Cheers.”

Voldemort sipped his wine and smiled to himself. Having Harry completely at his mercy, gave him the sense of absolute power. Voldemort waved his wand and the air was filled with the sound of gentle music,

“You are at liberty to celebrate this bonding, my loyal death eaters.”

The death eaters cheered and soon the sound of gossiping and laughter mingled with the sound of the music. Sirius sat in the farthest corner of the hall and sipped his drink while he silently lamented. Harry’s question kept echoing inside his head. He did not know what hurt meant.

Voldemort saw Harry stir and made his way to him. He sat down on the divan and gently caressed Harry’s cheek,

“Wake up, Harry.”

Harry’s eyes immediately flew open and the first thing he checked for was the ring on his finger. As soon as his eyes found it, he began to attempt to pull it off. Voldemort cast a privacy charm and then slapped Harry across the face. The force of the blow knocked his glasses off but it did not deter him from his attempts to take off the ring. Voldemort gripped Harry’s hair tightly and grabbed his jaw in a bone shattering grip,

“Stop this madness at once. It shall not come off.”

Harry closed his eyes and an anguished scream escaped his lips,

“WHY……………YOU ALREADY HAD ME……………......WHY WAS THIS NECESSARY?”

Voldemort slapped Harry once again and a cry escaped Harry’s lips as extreme pain shot through him,

“I shall find extreme pleasure in violating you tonight. Breaking your spirit again shall be exquisite.”

The pain ended and Harry took several deep breaths,

“Do your worst…………. I don’t care anymore…………JUST KILL ME!!!!”

Voldemort nails dug deep into his jaw and blood seeped down his neck in small rivulets,

“There’s no need to worry. I do intend to do my worst with you, Harry.”

Voldemort forcibly pulled Harry to his feet,

“But before I take you to bed, you shall dance with me.”

Everything inside Harry was in a state of utter chaos. He didn’t know whether to be brave or beg Voldemort for mercy. Voldemort chuckled softly beside him,

“Being brave is not an option you can afford. I shall have you on your knees, Harry, and you shall beg me to have mercy upon you.”

Voldemort pulled Harry down the stairs and they were among the death eaters. The death eaters all bowed down and Harry watched as Bellatrix launched herself at Voldemort’s feet and kissed his feet,

“Kiss Harry’s as well, Bella. After all he holds a higher rank than all of you.”

She hesitated at first but when she was about to, Harry immediately stepped back,

“I don’t want this.”

Voldemort waved his wand and Harry realized that he couldn’t move. He was rooted to the stop. When he tried to speak, he realized that his lips were glued together and his voice was gone. Voldemort had turned him into a living, breathing statue. Bellatrix moved forward and kissed his feet and after she was done, she retreated. For the next few minutes Voldemort made every single death eater in the vicinity kiss Harry’s feet. The last one to make his way to them was Sirius. As soon as Harry saw him, he looked towards Voldemort and silently pleaded. Sirius proceeded to kiss Voldemort’s feet and when he was done. He proceeded to kiss Harry’s. Harry struggled to move but Voldemort’s enchantment kept him in place. Harry looked down at Sirius when he spoke,

“I wish that this bond brings you nothing but happiness.”

Harry wept silently and tearlessly as he was forced to watch his godfather kiss his feet. It was killing him. When Sirius had retreated, Voldemort wrapped his arm around Harry’s waist again and Harry was able to move again. Voldemort twirled him on the spot and Harry realized that Voldemort was making him dance to the soft rhythm of the music,

“You certainly need to learn a lot, Harry. You shall need it, now that you are my spouse.”

Harry met Voldemort’s smouldering crimson gaze and spoke,

“Spouse? More like your slave.”

Voldemort spun him around and Harry immediately felt dizzy,

“You are not my slave, Harry. I consider us to be very similar in many aspects.”

“Then what am I to you?”

Voldemort was rendered speechless. He did not have an answer to Harry’s question. Harry was neither his friend, nor his enemy. He was not his follower. There was no category of relationship that he could put Harry in. But Harry was the one human that was tightly bonded to him. Harry was bonded to him by blood, he was bonded to him by soul and now he was bound to him by worldly traditions. He would have to create a separate category for Harry. Until then all he could say that was,

“You are my captive, Harry.”

Voldemort took Harry’s hand in his and made him dance across the hall. Harry had a thousand questions burning in his mind. Voldemort read through them and decided to address them,

“You are my Spouse in the eyes of the world, Harry. The ring on your finger is a symbol of my ownership. According to the laws of magical wedlock, I have every right to treat you as I desire and no one can no longer interfere in our private matters. The ring that you are wearing is a family heirloom. It is very special in the regard that if you attempt to disobey me, the ring shall cause you intolerable amount of pain.”

Harry’s heart was beating at any impossibly fast pace. Voldemort had just wrested away any remaining hope he had had left,

“What about my free will?”

Voldemort laughed evilly,

“You surrendered your free will, Harry. Did you forget that?”


	46. Chapter 46

Voldemort released Harry’s shell shocked form. He conjured a chair and made Harry sit down in it,

“I think that you require a moment to wrap your head around this.”

Harry was hyperventilating. He wanted to cry but the tears wouldn’t come. Voldemort rubbed soothing circles on Harry’s back,

“Calm down, Harry.”

Voldemort dismissed the death eaters. When the hall was completely empty, he turned his attention back to Harry,

“Do you require another potion to calm down, Harry.”

Harry took several deep breaths and forced himself to calm down,

“I’m fine.”

Voldemort patted his head,

“Good boy. Now get up, it is time to go home.”

Harry didn’t want to get up. He knew what was waiting for him. He knew what was going to happen to him. Voldemort was going to abuse him. He was terrified. He was beyond terrified,

“Please, don’t………”

Voldemort looked down at him,

“Harry, tonight, it is inevitable.”

Voldemort gently raised Harry to his feet, gripped his arm and disapparated. They appeared outside a door. The panic bubbling inside Harry’s chest finally came out and Harry started struggling against Voldemort,

“I won’t go in……………. I can’t go in….”

Harry managed to wrench his arm out of Voldemort’s grip and he ran. He ran like he had never run before. He ran through the vast corridors, down the countless flights of stairs but the castle was like a labyrinth and he had no idea where he was or where he was running to. He was aware of the fact that he didn’t even have his glasses but he couldn’t stop. He just couldn’t stop for anything.

He didn’t know how long he had been running, his chest was burning and he was out of breath. He took the support of the wall to catch his breath but as soon as his back came in contact with the wall chains materialised and wrapped themselves around his wrists, ankles and throat and manacled him to the wall. Harry thrashed and struggled against them but he could feel the chain around his throat growing steadily tighter until his air supply was almost cut off and he was choking.

Voldemort leisurely walked towards the corridor he had sensed Harry’s presence in and when he arrived, he found that Harry’s skin had turned a light shade of blue due to the lack of oxygen. He immediately raised his wand and loosened the chain around Harry’s neck. Immediately Harry drew several deep breaths and his skin returned to its normal colour.

Harry saw Voldemort approach him and he immediately closed his eyes. Voldemort gripped his face in a vice like hold and roared,

“OPEN YOUR EYES THIS INSTANT!”

Harry immediately opened his eyes and looked at the blurred form of Voldemort. Voldemort pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose and Harry was able to see the infuriated face of Voldemort clearly. Voldemort’s grip tightened and a cry escaped his lips,

“Where were you hoping to escape to? Did you think you could just run out of my castle, that you could just run away from me?”

Harry wanted to look away from Voldemort’s crimson gaze but he couldn’t. Voldemort continued to speak to him,

“I am very disappointed with you, Harry. My words seem to be unable to make you understand that there is no escape for you. I think it is time to introduce you to my whip.”

Harry’s eyes widened in horror and his struggling began anew,

“Five lashes would be enough for your first punishment, don’t you think, Harry?”

Harry continued his futile struggling until Voldemort slapped him,

“Stop struggling, foolish boy. I will make it ten lashes if you do not stop at once.”

Harry stopped but he was trembling uncontrollably,

“You look gorgeous in chains, Harry.”

Voldemort vanished them and gripped Harry by his arm tightly. Suddenly a question arose in Harry’s terror filled mind,

“The ring didn’t cause me any pain, why?”

Voldemort chuckled softly,

“Because even the ring knows that you cannot escape from me.”

Voldemort dragged him through an unfamiliar corridor until they were outside a door. It opened by itself and Voldemort pulled Harry in. When Harry looked around, he felt as if his heart had stopped beating in fear,

“This is my private torture chamber, Harry. I did not wish to bring you here but you forced my hand.”

Harry closed his eyes, he didn’t want to see the torture devices, nor did he want to imagine the people Voldemort had used them on. Voldemort could practically smell the sweet scent of terror coming from Harry. Voldemort led Harry to a table,

“Open your eyes, Harry.”

Harry’s entire body continued to tremble in fear but he still opened his eyes. His gaze was met by the sight of an ordinary looking wooden table,

“Take off your shirt, Harry.”

Harry gulped visibly and his quivering increased. Voldemort tsked and vanished Harry’s shirt. As soon as Harry felt air strike his shirtless torso, he felt more afraid than ever,

“Bend over the table.”

Voldemort was delighted to see how his simple commands continued to terrorize Harry. But he didn’t expect Harry to fulfil them. After all this was his first time. Voldemort knew he would have to make Harry bend so he did. He gently exerted pressure on Harry’s back until Harry’s torso was flat on the table and his back was completely exposed. He took Harry’s wrists and rested his arms on the table by his side. When Harry was in the perfect position, restraints appeared and snaked around Harry’s wrists and ankles, firmly binding him to the table.

Harry closed his eyes but Voldemort’s voice forced him to open them,

“Open your eyes, Harry. I want you to see the whip, I’m going to use on you.”

Voldemort placed a black leather whip on the table so Harry could see it clearly,

“Do you like it?”

Harry didn’t respond. He couldn’t respond. All he could feel at the moment was the inexplicable fear. Voldemort picked up the whip and cracked it. The sound sent fresh waves of terror down Harry’s spine and he struggled against the restraints binding him to the table,

“Take a deep breath, Harry. Relax your body.”

Harry couldn’t even take short breaths let alone long ones. He closed his eyes and tried to think of anything except the forthcoming pain but he couldn’t. It was all he could think of.

Voldemort gently stroked Harry’s smooth, flawless back with the tip of the whip and he adored the shudder that passed through Harry’s entire form. He kissed Harry’s back gently and then stepped back,

“I want you to count for me, Harry. If you do not count, then I shall keep whipping you until you count till five.”

Voldemort cracked the whip again and then delivered the first lash. At first, Harry felt nothing but the cold tip of the leather but then the unbearable stinging pain started and a cry escaped his lips,

“Count, Harry.”

The stinging continued and tears welled up in Harry’s eyes,

“COUNT!!!!”

Harry kept his eyes closed tightly after summoning up all his strength he spoke,

“One.”

“Good boy.”

Voldemort hit Harry with the whip again and this time it instantly began to hurt. Another cry, louder the last one, left Harry’s mouth and tears started to flow down his cheeks,

“Count.”

Harry drew a deep shuddering breath and cried out,

“Two.”

Before Harry had time to recover, Voldemort delivered the third lash and this time, Harry couldn’t help but scream. Tears continued to stream down his cheeks and he struggled desperately against the restraints. He wanted to get as far away as possible from the whip.

“What comes after two, Harry?”

Harry didn’t have the strength to answer. Another cry escaped his lips but he knew he had to answer otherwise this pain would never stop,

“Three.”

Voldemort smirked in satisfaction. Harry’s back was already red and raw and his screams were the sweetest symphony. He raised the whip again and struck Harry’s back with it again.

Harry screamed louder than before and his struggling grew wild. He was beginning to see dark spots in his vision. His world was painted red with agony. There was only one way out of this pain,

“FOUR!!!”

Voldemort’s smirk widened. Harry was beginning to learn that obeying him was the only way to end the pain. Voldemort delivered the final blow and Harry’s screams filled the room. Voldemort was positive that they could be heard in the heavens above. He looked down at Harry’s back which was nearly red as blood. It wasn’t bleeding, which was a good sign.

The dark spots in his vision were beginning to grow but so were his screams. His back was burning, as if someone had placed red hot coals on it and the air was making the pain ten times worse,

“Harry, its nearly over. Just count.”

“FIVE”

As soon as he screamed it out, his vision blacked out and Harry’s body grew limp in the restraints. Voldemort summoned a soft silk sheet and covered Harry’s back with it. The restraints disappeared and left Harry’s unconscious form half laying on the table. Voldemort wrapped the sheet around Harry’s torso and carried him in his arms. He gently kissed Harry’s forehead and carried him out of the chamber.


	47. Chapter 47

Voldemort brought Harry into the room, which was decorated with black roses. He carried him to the bed, which was strewn with black rose petals and gently laid him face down on it. His gaze travelled to the clock. There was still two hours till dawn. The binding ritual needed to be completed before the sunrise. His eyes found Harry’s unconscious form on the bed and he cursed his temper. How was he going to violate him in this condition? It had to be done. Harry would just have to endure. He vanished his robes and tied his hair back. After summoning a potion, he gently raised Harry’s head and held the potion to his lips,

“Drink, Harry.”

Harry resisted in his unconsciousness but soon gave up and Voldemort tipped the content of the flask down Harry’s mouth. As soon as he swallowed, Harry began to cough and he began to return to his senses.

“Harry, this will hurt, but do not attempt to struggle or it will hurt worse. Just stay calm and repeat what I say. Is that understood.”

A soft cry escaped Harry’s lips and Voldemort patted his head softly,

“You have borne so much, just endure a bit more, Harry.”

Fresh tears welled up in Harry’s eyes but Voldemort wiped them away immediately,

“I shall not hurt you more than what is necessary.”

Harry finally spoke in a voice that was raw from screaming,

“You already have.”

Voldemort vanished Harry’s jeans and his own clothes. He left the sheet in place over Harry’s freshly bruised back and gently came over him. He kissed Harry’s neck softly and Harry shivered visibly,

“You will repeat what I say otherwise we are going to have another episode with my whip. Is that understood?”

Harry nodded silently. He knew he had no other choice, his back was numb but he knew that the bruises were there. On top of that, he was naked from the waist down. And if the sheet wasn’t present then he would be naked from the waist up as well. His cheeks were burning red with embarrassment but he felt more terrified than mortified. When was this night going to end? It felt as if it would never end. Suddenly he felt Voldemort’s lips on the back of his neck and he shuddered involuntarily.

“Accipio te sponsa amodo deinceps”

At first, Harry didn’t understand what Voldemort was saying, it took him several moments to realize that he was supposed to repeat that, but by then he had forgotten what Voldemort had said. Voldemort gripped Harry’s hair tightly and then repeated the statement,

“Accipio te sponsa amodo deinceps”

This time Harry managed to repeat it word by word but Voldemort’s grip on his hair did not slacken. Harry’s entire form shivered as Voldemort kissed his waist softly,

“tecum communico copulationem omne futurum”

Harry immediately repeated the sentence and drew several deep breaths. He was beginning to grow restless. It was as if his soul inside him was beginning to writhe. Voldemort sensed Harry’s growing restlessness and smirked. The ritual was working. His grip tightened on his hair and a cry escaped Harry’s lips. He summoned the restraints and soon Harry’s wrists and ankles were restrained to the bed. Voldemort slowly placed his growing erection between Harry’s hips and began to rub it slowly. Immediately Harry started struggling but Voldemort’s grip on his hair and the restraints kept him in place,

“ut sint vobis fidelis”

There was only one way to get out of this and Harry unwillingly repeated the words. He could feel that Voldemort was completely hard now and he felt helpless. Harry continued his fruitless struggling. He just couldn’t lay here and accept this,

“dare et accipere audire et loqui”

Voldemort gripped Harry’s waist tightly and exactly at that moment, Harry repeated the words, in the hope that maybe Voldemort would release him, due to his obedience.

“incutere et respondebo”

Voldemort’s grip on his hair was impossibly tight now and Harry took that as a threat. So, he spoke what Voldemort had said. Suddenly a scream escaped his lips as he felt Voldemort thrust into him. H continued to scream as Voldemort began to thrust in and out of him. He felt as if his entrance was being torn apart. He struggled but his movements only made the pain worse, but he just couldn’t lie still either. Voldemort forced his finger inside Harry’s mouth and he tasted the bitter metallic taste of blood. Harry wanted to spit it out but Voldemort’s finger in his mouth kept him from that and he was forced to swallow,

“et commitment in sanguinem”

Harry was in a world of pain and agony. Voldemort immediately bit his neck and licked the blood flowing from the wound. Harry’s screams worsened and in his agony, he was forced to scream out the words,

“ET COMMITMENT IN SANGUINEM!!!!!”

Voldemort continued to thrust in and out of him and Harry continued to scream and struggle against the restraints. But all his efforts were useless. No one could hear him. No could ever save him. As Voldemort’s speed increased, so did Harry’s screams. They echoed through the empty castle and rang in the walls.

Harry wanted to beg him to stop but no sound came out. He realized that Voldemort had made it that way so that he could only speak the verses or lines or whatever they were. Harry was nearly senseless from the pain. He could feel Voldemort’s erection throbbing inside him and he continued his crying. Voldemort’s grip tightened around his waist. Harry comforted himself that it was nearly over when Voldemort spoke and with one final agonizing thrust came inside him,

“tenentur in fide, novum et aeternum est” 

Voldemort’s grip remained on his waist and Harry could feel Voldemort’s semi hard erection still inside. He stopped struggling, as his body began to shut down and he closed his eyes. He muttered the last sentence in a barely audible voice and he had almost passed out when suddenly his eyes were forced open by the blinding light that filled the room.

He was turned over by Voldemort and the first thing he witnessed was strands of brilliant gold and the deepest black linking together to form a shimmering black rope. Harry watched in astonishment as the rope coiled around both their bodies and then it was as if someone had set fire to his soul. He began to scream and writhe again but the restraints continued to hold him and Voldemort’s grasp on his waist grew tighter.

The light began to vanish and Harry saw the rope disappearing into their bodies. Everything began to go dark and before he could think or feel anything else, everything was doused in shadows. Voldemort felt Harry’s body grow limp in his embrace and he kissed his head softly. He rolled off him, laid down beside him and took him in his arms properly and after he had made himself comfortable, he laughed maniacally. He laughed in triumph,

“The ritual was a success, Harry. Now, no one can ever separate you from me.”

Voldemort smiled in jubilation as he saw the first rays of the sun filter through the window,

“Rest, Harry, you have truly earned it.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation
> 
> “I take you to be my spouse from this moment onward,
> 
> To join with you and to share all that is to come,
> 
> To be your faithful
> 
> To give and to receive,
> 
> To speak and to listen,
> 
> To inspire and to respond;
> 
> A commitment made in blood,
> 
> kept in faith, and eternally made new."


	48. Chapter 48

Voldemort gently kissed Harry’s lips. The boy had been unconscious for nearly 36 hours now but he knew it was best for him. Harry’s mental condition was considerably weakened after that night and his physical condition wasn’t very good either.

Voldemort traced his finger from Harry’s neck down his slender form. Harry wasn’t weak and he adored that about the boy. He gently pulled the sheet away from Harry’s back and examined the five distinct red lines that marked the places where he had whipped him. They were still in the process of healing but once healed, even the marks wouldn’t remain. After replacing the sheet on Harry’s back, he took a seat in an armchair beside his bed and summoned a book.

He had been reading for quite some time when he noticed that Harry was stirring. His gaze travelled to the clock and he realized that it was nearly nine. Voldemort continued to read until Harry’s sobbing shattered the silence of the room.

Harry was lying face down on the bed. The first thing he had felt when he had woken up was the sharp pain in his entire back, starting from his shoulders, all the way down to his lower body. The second thing he felt was the restraints around his wrists and ankles. And the third thing he felt was utter despair.

He couldn’t help but cry. Tears slid down his cheeks and he couldn’t stop the sobs that escaped his lips. He had been violated again. He had been whipped. He was now in wedlock with his captor. How could he live after all this? And yet here he was crying. Weren’t these tears supposed to be the symbol of life? He cursed his own obstinacy. He didn’t want to live. He didn’t have anything to live for.

“What about your friends, Harry? Are they not worth living for?”

Harry closed his eyes and the faces of Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Neville, Luna and Ginny swam in front of his vision,

“Would you let them live?”

Voldemort left his armchair and sat down on the bed beside Harry,

“I will let anyone live for you.”

Voldemort kissed Harry’s head softly and Harry flinched. Several questions bubbled inside Harry’s mind and Voldemort was pleased to see that Harry’s curiosity wasn’t dead. Harry decided to voice the most important one,

“What did you make me repeat?”

Voldemort laughed softly,

“They were vows. Would you like to know the translation?”

Harry nodded hesitantly and Voldemort spoke,

“I take you to be my spouse from this moment onward, to join with you and to share all that is to come, to be your faithful, to give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond; a commitment made in blood, kept in faith, and eternally made new."

Harry gasped in shock but something clicked in his mind,

“You made the vows too then.”

Voldemort chuckled darkly and his finger stroked the bite mark on Harry’s neck. Harry moaned as a dull pain sparked to life where Voldemort had touched him,

“A commitment made in blood, Harry. In the end, it always comes down to blood. Connect the dots. I know you are more than capable of that.”

Harry’s mind was racing as he thought hard and then like lightening, it struck him,

“I’m the only one that is bound to fulfil all those vows. You share my blood. My blood is running through your veins. Technically I’m the only one that made this commitment.”

Voldemort smirked and patted Harry on the cheek,

“You are far more perceptive than my expectations, Harry.”

Harry drew away from him and buried his face in the pillow. He closed his eyes and tried to wrap his head around this new development. He howled loudly in despair in an attempt to soothe the brewing storm of emotions inside him. Harry held the covers tightly and screamed louder. Voldemort watched the whole display with immense amusement. Harry’s muffled screams were the only sound in the room. After it had gone on for five minutes. Voldemort decided to intervene and moved his fingers through Harry’s hair,

“Calm down, Harry.”

And as much as Harry wanted to get away from Voldemort, something inside him forced him to obey. He calmed down and pulled his head away,

“Why can’t you just leave me alone? Haven’t you tormented me enough?”

Voldemort held his chin and kissed his lips tightly. Harry struggled to get away. If his wrists had been free, he would have pushed away Voldemort with his hands. Harry kicked his feet as Voldemort deepened the kiss and his struggling increased. Voldemort pulled away his lips, but a kept a hold on Harry’s chin,

“You are all alone, Harry.”

“I’m not alone. You’re here.”

Voldemort laughed and released Harry’s chin,

“I am anchoring you to your sanity, Harry. If I leave you alone, you would lose your mind.”

Harry looked away. He knew Voldemort was right. Voldemort summoned a tray of dinner. He picked up a potion from the tray and held it to Harry’s lips,

“Drink, Harry.”

Harry recognized it as the potion Voldemort had given him last time to vanish the pain. He drank it and felt the pain disappear gradually. Voldemort helped him sit up and vanished the restraints. When Voldemort put the tray in his lap, Harry pushed it away,

“I’m not hungry.”

“You have been unconscious for more than 36 hours. Your body requires nourishment.”

Harry looked up at that,

“Really? I was out that long?”

Voldemort smirked softly,

“Yes, Harry.”

Harry picked up the knife and fork and as he took the first bite, he realized how starving he actually was. Soon enough the plate was empty. Voldemort vanished it and it was replaced by a plate laden with a huge piece of cake. Harry stared at it for a minute,

“It’s your birthday cake, Harry.”

Harry picked up the fork and dug into it. At least he was going to get to eat his birthday cake. As soon as the first sweet bite touched his tongue, he felt the gloom and despair vanish entirely from his mind and his heart. There was still hope for him. Voldemort, who had been reading Harry’s thoughts, was forced to wonder how something as simple as sugar had managed to stabilize Harry’s failing mental condition. In addition to that Harry’s hope had returned………. The boy’s wretched hope had returned. He gnashed his teeth in anger and his eyes burned with controlled rage. He would shatter it beyond repair very soon.


	49. Chapter 49

Voldemort vanished the tray and conjured a stack of books. After placing them on the side table, he stood up,

“The meeting is in 3 days, Harry. I expect you to read all these by the time I return.”

Harry looked at the stack with apprehension,

“When will you return?”

Voldemort eyed Harry’s shirtless body and conjured a loose button up shirt and handed it to him,

“That does not concern you.”

And with that Voldemort vanished from the room. Harry put the shirt on and then looked at the large stack of books piled up on the side table. He wanted to hit his head against a wall or something but instead decided to get on with the task. He picked up the first book and started studying.

He had gotten half way through it when he looked up at the clock, it was 3 AM in the morning. After putting the book on the side table, he stood up and stretched out. He made his way to the bathroom and after taking a deep breath, took off his shirt and observed his back in the mirror. A gasp escaped his lips as he saw the raw red bruises. He wondered how much pain he would be in if he hadn’t taken the potion.

He looked longingly at the shower and had just turned to walk out of the bathroom when he collided with something hard. When Harry straightened his glasses, he realized that he had collided with Voldemort. He didn’t dare look up. Voldemort however held his shoulders,

“Did you complete your task?”

Harry gulped visibly and kept his gaze targeted towards the floor,

“Should I assume from your silence that you failed to accomplish it?”

Harry wanted to take several steps back but that would probably anger Voldemort more and now that he had seen Voldemort’s private torture chamber, he definitely did not want to incur his wrath,

“I……… you came back earlier than I thought.”

In the blink of an eye Harry was slammed into the tiled wall of the bathroom. His head hit the wall with a sick thump and Harry saw stars appear in his vision,

“This is my castle, boy. I can leave it and return to it whenever I wish.”

Harry closed his eyes and decided to keep his mouth shut. He hadn’t said anything wrong. He knew one thing for sure though. Voldemort was taking out someone else’s anger on him. Voldemort looked down and he noticed the droplets of blood on the white tiled floor. Swiftly he turned Harry around and moved his fingers through Harry’s hair. When he pulled away his hand, he realized that it was coloured with blood,

“Why are you so breakable, Harry? TELL ME WHY?”

Voldemort had yelled out the question and it resonated through the empty bathroom,

“I don’t know.”

Harry replied in a low voice. His head was aching like hell. Harry finally drew up the courage to ask the question,

“Why are you so angry?”

Voldemort turned him around again to face him and gripped his chin tightly,

“You, it’s always you.”

“I didn’t do………”

A cry escaped Harry’s lips as Voldemort slapped him hard,

“I should sew your lips shut.”

Harry became quiet and closed his eyes. He couldn’t fathom what had infuriated Voldemort to such extents. Pain, sudden and excruciating coursed through Harry’s body and he screamed. Voldemort held tight onto Harry’s writhing, thrashing body and felt his anger ebbing away as he felt aroused by Harry’s screams. He inhaled deeply and his gaze landed on Harry’s flat stomach. He licked his lips and ended the pain. Harry was only semi-conscious. The only thing keeping him on his feet was Voldemort’s grip around his waist,

“Would you like to have someone to keep you company, Harry?”

Harry didn’t have the strength or the awareness to process Voldemort’s words. The once small droplets of blood had turned into puddles now. Harry’s eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow. Voldemort looked down at the blood and smirked maliciously. He pointed his wand at the back of Harry’s head and healed the wound. After carrying Harry’s nearly unconscious form back to the bed, he gently placed him down on the bed.

Voldemort sat down on the edge of the bed and reflected upon the events that had caused him to single Harry out as a target for his rage. The reason was the boy’s Godfather. Black had failed to kidnap Ollivander and that had set his plans back by several days. Of course, he had seen to it that Black was suitably punished for his failure but his infuriation at having his plans thwarted had in no way lessened by punishing Black. Harry was the reason, he was keeping Black alive and Harry would be the one to cool down his rage. The boy had done it magnificently.

Voldemort summoned a flask of potion and observed it closely. His gaze travelled to Harry’s unconscious form and he smirked a smirk that was the quintessence of pure evil. The boy was delicate and very fragile but he would be able to endure this. Voldemort bent over Harry and kissed his forehead. He did not have any need of an heir but it was another way to ensure that Harry remained under his thumb.

If Harry was impregnated, he would have to abandon his suicidal tendencies and he would live to protect the child. The dynamics that he had applied with Black would then be applicable to Harry as well. Harry, being the father would do absolutely anything in order to protect his child. The child of course would be a liability and a burden but it was a necessity in the current circumstances.

He looked at the flask again and had another thought. The child would not only be Harry’s. It would be his as well. What if the child became a threat? Voldemort erased any doubts from his mind. If the child became a threat, he would decapitate it and nail the head to the bedroom wall. Voldemort laughed malevolently at the image that came to his mind and finalized his decision.


	50. Chapter 50

Voldemort stroked Harry’s cheek softly. Harry had passed out a few minutes ago. He gently raised Harry’s head up a bit and held the flask to his lips. Without resistance, Harry drank and swallowed. After vanishing the empty flask, Voldemort vanished his clothes and removed Harry’s trousers. He kissed Harry’s neck gently and straddled him.

Harry lay senseless on the bed. Voldemort decided that Harry didn’t need to be awake for this. He trailed kisses down Harry’s pale skin starting from his neck all the way down to his stomach. He admired Harry’s lithe form and knew it was from years of Quidditch practice. His lips found Harry’s and he kissed them tightly. He pushed his tongue inside Harry’s mouth and swirled it around. A muffled, soft moan escaped Harry’s lips and he began to stir. Voldemort held him in place and forced his tongue down deeper, pulling Harry’s head closer to him by his hair. Harry began to gag and when he was nearly out of air, Voldemort pulled out his tongue and let him breathe.

Voldemort watched how Harry’s chest rose and fell rapidly. He had half a mind to repeat that but decided against it. Harry’s strenuous breathing was the only sound in the otherwise silent room. Voldemort looked at Harry’s insentient form and spread his legs open. Another soft moan escaped Harry’s lips as Voldemort began to knead his inner thighs. He wondered what would turn Harry on. Even now the boy wasn’t getting any pleasure out of this. He put the matter in a far corner of his mind. He held Harry’s leg up and began to rub his hardening member against Harry’s exposed entrance. Harry’s soft moaning turned into slurred protests. Harry’s protests turned Voldemort on further and he began to slowly push into Harry.

The precum was smeared all over Harry’s entrance. Voldemort started to push his stone hard erection against Harry’s tight entrance and a cry escaped Harry’s lips. Voldemort noticed the pained expression on Harry’s pale face, which he had never seen before, since Harry had always laid face down when Voldemort had violated him before. He thrust again and when his cock finally penetrated through the tightness, Harry screamed in pain. Voldemort gripped Harry’s hair tightly and pushed it in as far as it would go. Harry was struggling in his unconsciousness. Voldemort’s grip tightened on Harry’s legs and pulled out for the briefest of seconds before pushing back in.

Harry screamed louder than ever as Voldemort continued to push in and out of him. Voldemort forced his tongue inside Harry’s mouth again, effectively muffling out his screams. It went on for minutes until Voldemort came inside him and released him. Harry’s breathing was shallow as he lay senseless. Voldemort lay beside him and his hand moved to Harry’s flawless, flat stomach. He stroked it gently and imagined what it would look like in a few months. He was disgusted by what he pictured. He reminded himself that it was necessary and pushed the image out of his mind.

He cleaned himself and Harry with a flick of his wand and kissed Harry on the head. Voldemort’s eyes noticed Harry’s hands clutching the covers loosely. He pulled them up and kissed them both and folded them on his stomach. He summoned a flask of orange potion and held it to Harry’s lips and after Harry had drunk it, he vanished it and softly whispered,

“Just rest, Harry.”

Voldemort turned down the lights in the room and after clothing himself left the room.

***************************************

Harry woke up and opened his eyes to a room filled with bright sunlight. After sitting up straight, he stretched out his arms and looked around the room. His hands went to the back of his head and felt for an injury but found none. He remembered Voldemort’s rage and he wondered what had caused it. When he could find no possible answer, he decided to leave the matter entirely.

He was just staring at the stacks of books still present on the side table when a wave of nausea gripped him. Harry jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. He barely managed to reach the sink when he threw up. His body was shivering uncontrollably. He washed his face and rinsed his mouth. His gaze found a toothbrush in a glass and he found his name carved into it. Harry brushed his teeth and looked up at his reflection in the mirror. His face was as white as a sheet and his cheek bones had somehow gotten more prominent. Harry moved a hand through his messy shoulder length hair and noticed that his eyes were dull. The spark was gone and Harry knew that his eyes finally no longer resembled his mother’s.

Harry walked out of the bathroom feeling sick and distraught when he was greeted by Voldemort, seated in an armchair beside the bed,

“Good Morning, Harry. Did you sleep well?”

Harry picked up the towel and wiped his face with it,

“I slept fine.”

Voldemort stood up and handed Harry a pair of black pants and a grey button up shirt,

“Get dressed, Harry. We shall be going out today.”

Harry took the clothes and met Voldemort’s gaze,

“Where are we going?”

Voldemort chuckled softly and patted Harry on the head,

“Just get dressed. I shall be waiting for you in the orchard.”

Before Harry could ask any more questions, Voldemort strode out of the room. Harry put on the shirt and jeans and brushed his unruly locks or at least attempted to brush them. They more he brushed them, the messier they grew. Finally Harry gave up and walked out of the room.

The iron knights were already pointing the way to the orchard. Harry followed them and reached the entrance. He reluctantly walked out of the entrance and noticed a stone path in the grass. Harry followed the path and reached a white pavilion. As Harry walked close to it, he saw Voldemort seated on a chair inside the pavilion. Harry walked in and Voldemort’s eyes scanned Harry from head to toe and licked his lips in approval. He signalled Harry to sit and Harry sat down. A plate of pancakes appeared in front of Harry. Harry looked at it and remembered the events of this morning and pushed it away,

“What is the matter, Harry.”

Harry thought twice before answering the question,

“I……...um………I sort of vomited in the morning.”

Harry saw something flash in Voldemort’s eyes but it was gone as soon as it came and Harry thought he had imagined it. Voldemort vanished the plates and it was replaced by a plate of cucumber sandwiches,

“You must eat something, Harry.”

Harry picked up one of the sandwiches and ate silently. Why was Voldemort acting so nice? Why was he acting so concerned?

“Harry, you are thinking too much. Just calm down.”

Harry drew a deep breath and finished his sandwich. A glass of cold pumpkin juice appeared in front of Harry, he picked it up and sipped it,

“Where are we going?”

Voldemort laughed again,

“As persistent as always, Harry. We are going shopping today.”

Harry was taken off guard with that answer,

“What???”

Voldemort’s smirk confirmed that Harry had heard right.


	51. Chapter 51

After getting over the initial shock, Harry finally asked,

“Shopping for what?”

Voldemort peered over his newspaper and spoke,

“Shopping for you, Harry. The meeting is in 2 days’ time, not counting today. You lack the proper wardrobe to attend it. And as my spouse, it is of paramount importance that you look your best.”

Harry finished his juice and Voldemort stood up. Harry got up to his feet as well and his gaze fell upon the newspaper. A picture of him was looking up at him from the page and the heading above it read

“Official search terminated for The Boy Who Lived”

Voldemort folded the newspaper and vanished it. Harry finally decided to ask,

“Why was it terminated?”

“You have been missing for two months now. That is the official time after which the ministry begins considering the victim to be deceased.”

Harry spoke through numb lips,

“Deceased as in dead?”

“Yes, Harry. Unfortunately, Dumbledore and his band of fools are still searching for you. Then again, that will be corrected very soon.”

Harry looked up and Voldemort saw hope glimmering in Harry’s green eyes. He was waiting petulantly for the day when it would be extinguished completely. Voldemort waved away the topic and summoned a jacket. He handed it to Harry and Harry put it on. Voldemort pointed his wand towards Harry’s face and cast a glamour. Voldemort pulled out a small white container from inside his pocket and handed it to Harry,

“Do you know how to wear these?”

Harry looked down and saw a pair of contact lenses. He hadn’t expected Voldemort to possess something so muggle. Harry shook his head in no,

“I’ve never worn them before. Why do I need to wear them? You can just change my eye colour temporarily through a glamour”

“Changing your eye colour is not difficult, Harry. However, your glasses pose a problem. These lenses are tailored according to your eye sight.”

Voldemort pulled away his glasses and told Harry to sit down on the chair. Harry did as he was told,

“Do not close your eyes.”

Voldemort bent Harry’s head back until he was staring up directly at the blurred outline of the canopy. He pulled out on of the lens on his finger and held Harry’s right eye open. Harry gulped visibly and Voldemort gently spoke,

“It’s only a lens, Harry. Relax.”

Voldemort smirked internally. It was more than just a lens. It was enchanted and connected to his surveillance mirror so that if Harry managed to escape during the trip, his mirror would show what Harry was seeing and his location. Voldemort placed the lens carefully over Harry’s right eye,

“Blink, Harry. The lens will adjust by itself.”

Harry blinked and Voldemort repeated the process with his other eye. Once he was done. Harry looked around and realized that he could see everything ten times clearer. He could see the small details in everything. Voldemort summoned a mirror and held it to Harry’s face. Someone entirely less looked at him through the mirror. His eyes were a shade of clear blue, the scar was gone from his forehead and his hair had been tamed and were a hue of chocolate brown. The lines around his face had been somehow accentuated to make him look older. Harry pushed the mirror away. It was him, behind a different face. 

Voldemort was pleased with Harry’s disguise. He was completely unrecognizable. Voldemort cast a glamour over himself and admired himself in the mirror. His crimson irises were now a shade of dark brown. When he was satisfied with everything. He took Harry’s arm in his tightly and they apparated. When Harry’s feet touched solid ground again, he felt dizzy. Voldemort held Harry up and kept a tight hold around his waist until Harry was feeling stable enough.

Harry looked around and realized that they weren’t in Diagon Alley. It didn’t even look like they were in London anymore. Voldemort read his thoughts and spoke,

“We’re in Paris, Harry.”

They walked into the street. Harry was engulfed with thousands of different kinds of scents. When he tried to discern them, he realized that he couldn’t. The street was filled with colours or maybe he found the colours more vivid because of the lenses he was wearing. He spotted several stalls filled with magical ornaments and trinkets to know that it was a wizard’s market. Voldemort had walked to a shop with a sign board labelled, “La boutique de Simone”. Harry followed him and they entered the shop.

A little bell on the door went ding and a woman in her sixties, with white hair that looked like tufts of cloud glued to her head, rushed out to greet them,

“Bienvenue! Comment puis-je vous aider”

Harry couldn’t understand a word she said but Voldemort smiled benignly and pointed towards Harry,

“Mon neveu a besoin de robe. Nous ne devons nous contenter que de la meilleure qualité.”

She clapped her hands and a plainly dressed younger woman rushed their way. She ushered Harry to stand on a raised platform and began measuring him with her wand. As she measured, she wrote them down on a piece of parchment. Harry felt awkward. He had never been too good with measurements,

“Stand still, Harry.”

Harry hadn’t realized that he had been unconsciously fidgeting and immediately stilled. When the woman was done with the measurements. She disappeared into the room and after a few minutes came back holding several boxes stacked in her arms. She placed them infront of the old lady and disappeared back into the room. The old witch opened the first one and took out a pair of wine colored robes that were made with some heavy fabric. She invited Voldemort to feel the fabric but Voldemort was looking from the robes towards Harry. And he thought that this colour wouldn’t go well with Harry’s green eyes or dark hair at all. He finally spoke in a perfect French accent,

“Je n'aime pas cette couleur”

Harry looked around the shop while Voldemort sampled the other fabrics and colours. His gaze fell upon a set of robes displayed in a glass box in the far corner of the shop. Voldemort looked up at Harry and followed Harry’s gaze to the glass case. He walked close to him and snapped his fingers close to Harry’s ear. Harry fell out of the trance and immediately turned to face Voldemort. Voldemort saw an odd look in Harry’s eyes, fear mingled with something else that he couldn’t place. Voldemort held Harry’s shoulders and asked,

“What happened, Harry?”

Harry’s gaze wandered over to the glass case again and Voldemort walked to the glass case. He saw a pair of black robes, blacker than the night, with two snakes embroidered on the panels. The embroidery was done with threads of such vivid colours that the snake looked ready to spring out of the robes. The old woman followed him and spoke,

“Ceux-ci appartenaient à Salazar Slytherin.”

Voldemort was fascinated by them. But why had Harry been afraid?

“Come here, Harry.”

Harry stepped down from the platform and walked to Voldemort. The expression of fear grew on Harry’s face,

“What is the matter, Harry?”

“Can’t you hear them whispering?”

Voldemort walked closer to the glass case and listened intently and indeed he heard whispering. It was parseltongue. He couldn’t discern what they were whispering. It fascinated him though that Harry had heard the whispering from a considerable distance away. He hungered to study them closely. If they belonged to Salazar Slytherin, and judging by the parseltongue they certainly did, then he needed to have them. Voldemort finally spoke,

“Combien coûtent-ils?”

The old woman dismissed his question with a wave of her hand,

“Ils ne sont pas à vendre.”

Harry saw rage flit through Voldemort’s face but it was gone as soon as it had come. He waved his wand and summoned a pouch full of galleons. She looked at the pouch with scorn and turned her back to Voldemort,

“Quitter mon magasin.”

Voldemort laughed darkly and a shiver ran down Harry’s spine. It didn’t mean anything good. Voldemort had his wand pointed towards the back of the old witch and spoke,

“Adieu madame.”

A green flash of light filled the room and when it disappeared, the old witch was laying sprawled on the floor. A cry had almost escaped Harry’s lips when Voldemort forced his hand to Harry’s mouth and effectively quietened him. Tears ran down Harry’s eyes and he struggled against Voldemort but Voldemort’s inhuman grip held him in place,

“Sssshhh Harry.”

Voldemort dragged Harry to a straight backed wooden chair, a few steps to the right and threw Harry in it. Before Harry could make a sound or a move an inch, he was gagged, his wrists were restrained behind the chair and his ankles were restrained to the legs of the chair. Tears continued to flow down his cheeks but Voldemort wiped them away,

“This shall not take long.”

Voldemort stepped over the dead body and made his way to the room in the back of the shop. Harry wanted to scream. Voldemort was going to kill her just like he had killed the old woman. He struggled against the bindings but it was no use. Harry saw a green flash emanate from the room, Voldemort had disappeared in and a scream escaped his lips. He screamed into the gag and struggled harder.

Voldemort stepped out of the room, returned to Harry and showed him a small gold key. Harry closed his eyes tightly and tears continued to stream down his cheeks. Voldemort strode casually to the glass case and unlocked it. He pulled the robes out and felt the fabric between his fingers. His gaze travelled to the struggling form of Harry and he knew that he had found the perfect robes for Harry.

Harry’s struggling had stopped and he had grown still. Voldemort carefully placed the robes in a box and vanished them. He made his way to Harry and kissed his head,

“Harry, there is no need to be so upset.”

Harry had grown numb from the angst and helplessness. He had been unable to do anything to save them. He could have done something. He could have warned them. He could have begged Voldemort to spare them. But he hadn’t been able to do anything. Voldemort removed the restraints and the gag. A choked sob escaped Harry’s lips and Voldemort held a finger to them,

“Ssshhh, not a sound, Harry. Do you wish for someone else to die as well?”

Harry restrained his sobs and shook his head to say no. He was forced to his feet,

“You must be famished, Harry. Would you like to have some Ice-cream?”

Harry didn’t reply. He couldn’t reply. The smirk on Voldemort’s face was one of pure evil and he knew had no choice but to play along or Voldemort would kill another innocent person.


	52. Chapter 52

To say that Harry was traumatized would be an understatement. He was way beyond devastated. Voldemort wiped away the remaining tears from Harry’s cheeks and spoke sternly,

“No more tears. That is an order.”

Harry drew several deep breaths and closed his eyes. His legs trembled and he took the support of the wall. For the sake of every innocent soul in this market, he would have to calm down and put this matter to the back of his mind. He could grieve later. Harry opened his eyes and spoke in a low voice,

“I’m fine.”

Voldemort’s smirk widened and patted Harry on the shoulder gently,

“Atta Boy, Harry.”

Harry closed his eyes, to block out the image of the dead woman laying spread-eagled on the floor as Voldemort led him out of the shop. While they were exiting the shop, Voldemort locked the door and changed the ouvrir sign to fermé. Harry opened his eyes and looked around the market, the colours had dulled, the scents had subsided. The street that had seemed so alive and cheery to him a few moments ago had grown bleached in his point of view.

Harry was led through the market to an ice cream parlour by Voldemort. Voldemort sat him down in a chair and took a seat opposite him. Harry knew that his eyes would betray him so he trained his gaze into his lap,

“It is not just your eyes, that have betrayed you, Harry. Your entire body is reminiscent of your grief.”

Harry drew a deep breath and looked up,

“I’m trying.”

Voldemort’s hand had clenched his wrist tightly under the table,

“You are not trying hard enough.”

A woman appeared beside their table. Voldemort’s grip tightened on his wrist and Harry looked up at her and smiled falsely. Harry looked around the table at Voldemort, who was also wearing a benevolent smile,

“Une glace. Chocolat et framboise aux noix hachées.”

The woman sauntered away and Voldemort’s grip loosened on Harry’s wrist. Harry was about to pull away his wrist when Voldemort’s fingers closed around it again,

“I am not done with you, Harry.”

Harry felt anger bubbling inside his chest. What was Voldemort expecting from him? Finally, he decided to speak up,

“I can’t act like nothing happened, I’m not like you.”

Voldemort spoke in a voice that had threat in every syllable,

“What am I, Harry?”

Harry felt the hate boiling in his blood, reach up to his mouth and he spat it out,

“You’re a monster.”

As soon as he finished the sentence, he felt agonizing, unbearable pain radiate from his wrist and a scream nearly tore its way out of his throat but Harry buried his face in the table and bit down on the knuckles of his unbroken hand to stop the scream. Somehow, despite the all-consuming pain, the rational part of his mind was still working. If he screamed, it would attract the attention of everyone around them, and that would result in more deaths. Voldemort had broken his wrist again. Harry felt his teeth sink in his knuckle and draw blood,

“You brought this upon yourself. I merely asked you to act normal and yet you could not achieve that one simple task. Now you shall act normal with all this pain.”

Voldemort released Harry’s broken wrist and looked up to see the woman return with a crystal bowl filled with three scoops of ice cream and set it down on the table. Her gaze travelled to Harry, whose head was still rested on the table. Voldemort noticed her gaze and spoke,

“Mon neveu a passé la nuit entière. Il repose juste ses yeux.”

She walked away and Voldemort spoke again,

“Would you like for me to kill her, Harry?”

Tears were running down Harry’s cheeks. Harry pulled away his teeth from his knuckles. The pain was still present but Harry pushed it to the back of his mind. He wiped away the tears and raised his head from the table. Voldemort saw Harry’s pale face and tsked,

“Eat your ice cream, before it melts.”

Harry summoned all his strength and pushed the pain deeper into his mind. He picked up the spoon with trembling fingers and as he was about to dig it into the ice cream, a memory flashed through his mind. Hagrid had gotten him this very flavour of ice cream when he had brought him to Diagon Alley for the first time to purchase his school supplies,

“It’s melting, Harry.”

Harry tried to steady his hand and ate the first spoonful of ice cream. Harry felt the pain growing strong again and with sheer will he pushed it back. He couldn’t taste the ice cream, he just knew he had to keep eating to save everyone there. In a matter of minutes, the bowl was empty and the spoon slipped from Harry’s finger and landed with a soft clink in the bowl. Harry was afraid of speaking. He feared that a scream would escape his lips of he opened his mouth to utter a single word,

“Do you want to go home, Harry?”

Harry immediately nodded his head to say yes. Voldemort smirked,

“I want to hear a proper reply, Harry.”

Harry calmed himself and pushed the pain back further but he could feel that it was getting increasingly difficult,

“I want to go back…….”

Harry’s voice trailed off. That was not his home. The pain was winning against his will and Harry finally spoke,

“I want to go back home, please.”

Voldemort smirked triumphantly and got up to his feet. Harry stood up and he cradled his broken wrist to his chest. The pain had almost won and Harry was biting on the inside of his cheek to keep his lips sealed tight. Voldemort left the money for the ice cream on the table and took Harry’s arm in his. They disapparated with a crack.


	53. Chapter 53

As soon as Harry’s feet touched solid ground, he collapsed and screamed. Voldemort stood a few steps back as Harry clutched his wrist and howled in agony. Voldemort summoned a book and flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. He cursed and begrudgingly healed Harry’s wrist. Harry’s screams died down and he lay on the floor on his side. His eyes were open and he stared blankly at the wall. Voldemort spoke,

“I expect you to read the books waiting for you in the bedroom. Did you hear me, Harry?”

Harry nodded silently. Voldemort disappeared. He lay there in the silence of the castle for a few more minutes. Harry sat up slowly and looked around. He was in the entrance of the castle. Harry stumbled up the steps and staggered through the corridors until he reached the bedroom. Harry pushed open the door and walked in. Harry pulled off his jacket, strode to the bed and collapsed on it.

Kicking off his shoes and socks, he picked up one of the books from the side table and started reading while laying down. His back was killing him and so was his stomach. Harry ignored the pain, he deserved it. His eyes skimmed over the pages, selectively reading every topic that seemed important and ignoring all the rest.

He didn’t know when he finished the book, picked up the next one, read it and then finished that as well. In this manner, he went through all the books on the side table. His eyelids began to droop and soon enough he had dozed off.

Voldemort entered the room and found Harry laying asleep on the bed with his legs dangling over the edge. He came close to Harry and observed the books laying on the bed besides Harry. There was concern in his eyes. He sat down on the edge of the bed and rested his hand on Harry’s stomach. He was certain that Harry hadn’t had a miscarriage but he had to be sure. He rested the tip of his wand to Harry’s stomach and it glowed a soft blue. He pulled away his wand, bent over Harry and kissed his forehead. Harry stirred in his sleep. Voldemort stood up and walked to the arm chair.

He would have to exercise caution. These first few weeks were crucial or so he had found out. Voldemort picked up one of the books from the bed and flipped through the pages. Harry opened his eyes and Voldemort observed how Harry’s hand unconsciously flew to his stomach. He smirked inwardly. Harry’s instincts were good but the boy had no idea how to interpret them.

Harry looked up and saw Voldemort seated beside the bed. Deciding to ignore him, Harry got up to his feet and headed to the bathroom. After turning on the warm water faucet he stripped down to his bare skin and stepped into the nearly filled bath tub. He turned off the faucet and looked through the assortments of bath salts and soaps rested on the shelf. He took a fistful of vanilla scented bath salt crystals and threw them in the bath, immediately the air around Harry was heavy with the scent of vanilla.

Harry sank lower in the bath tub and had half a mind to drown himself but decided it wasn’t worth the effort. He rested his head against the edge of the bath tub and closed his eyes. Silent tears rolled down his cheeks as he remembered the old lady and the other woman. He hadn’t known them, he hadn’t even known their names. He hadn’t even talked to them. Why did his heart ache so much then? Their deaths had been unnecessary and he was the one to blame. If he hadn’t seen those damned robes and hadn’t told Voldemort that he had heard them whispering, then maybe Voldemort wouldn’t have killed them. Harry held a hand to his mouth as he cried louder. His tears no longer silent.

Harry begged himself to stop crying. He begged himself to not feel anything. But he couldn’t help it. He knew Voldemort liked watching him cry, even if he told him to save his tears. He wouldn’t give Voldemort that pleasure anymore. Harry sighed weakly and washed his face. Voldemort would kill again. He knew it. But the next time, he wouldn’t display any emotions. Maybe then Voldemort would start consider him boring and kill him.

Harry stepped out of the bath tub and drained the water. He grabbed a folded bath robe from the towel rack and donned it. His discarded clothes had been vanished and he knew he would have to step out of the bathroom and in front of Voldemort to get fresh clothes from the wardrobe. Harry drew a deep breath. He wouldn’t display any emotion…………. He wouldn’t…………. He wouldn’t.

Voldemort’s gaze travelled to Harry, who was dressed in nothing but a fluffy white bath robe. He licked his lips and decided that he adored the look on Harry. Harry pretended that Voldemort didn’t exist and walked to the wardrobe as calmly as possible. After picking out a fresh a pair of jeans and dark green t-shirt, he casually strode to the bathroom and closed the door tightly. After wearing the clothes, he thought about what to do next. Somehow, he didn’t want to be in the same vicinity as Voldemort.

A thought occurred to him, if Voldemort had forced him to accept this place as his home then he would treat it as such.


	54. Chapter 54

Harry stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed and walked out of the room. He went to a nearby metal knight and asked for directions to the kitchen. The knight adjusted its position and pointed down the corridor. Following the knights, he reached a wooden door. He pushed it open and saw the most luxurious kitchen that he had ever seen. Harry walked around the kitchen observing the polished brass pots and pans. His eyes raking over the spotless marble counters. It looked as if it had never been used. In the corner of the kitchen was a square wooden table with a pair of chairs.

Harry saw a door in the back of the kitchen. He opened the door and found himself in a pantry. Harry walked through the rows of shelves and saw every kind of meat, vegetable fruits and grains imaginable. Harry picked up a basket and filled it with vegetables, pasta and chicken. As he was exiting the pantry, his gaze landed on a shelf, laden with all sorts of chocolates. Harry picked up a bar and pocketed it.

 He exited the pantry and set the basket on the marble counter. He chopped the vegetables and stir-fried them. Setting aside the prepared vegetables, he sliced the chicken, marinated it with spices and set it to grill. He boiled water in a pot and tossed some olive oil and salt in. After tossing the pasta in. He stirred it once and let it boil. Harry checked on the chicken and flipped the side.

He stood against the counter waiting for the pasta and chicken to cook. Picking up the kitchen towel, he wiped off sweat from his brow and stirred the pasta again. Once he was satisfied that it was cooked to Al dente, he tossed it in a colander and set it under the running water of the sink. Once the pasta was done, he set it down on the counter and checked on the chicken. He turned off the stove and set a plate on the counter.

Voldemort set down the book and decided to check up on Harry. Harry’s newly acquired attitude was something he would have to discourage but for now he would let it slide. It was amusing and he was curious to see where it would lead to. Voldemort stepped out of the room and strode to the kitchen. He found Harry bent over the stove, concentrating on cooking something.

Harry felt Voldemort’s presence before he saw him and looked at the single plate he had placed on the counter for himself. He set down another plate and began plating the pasta. After placing generous amounts of pasta on both plates, he placed the stir-fried vegetables on both plates, followed by the pieces of grilled chicken and then drizzled some olive oil over both plates. He set down the plates on the wooden table and disappeared inside the pantry. He came back outside holding a bottle of white wine and poured it into glasses. After setting the glasses on the table, he took his seat.

Voldemort watched as Harry worked and sat down for dinner. He had known that Harry knew how to cook. He had seen him cooking at a young age of 8 for his beastly relatives. But seeing him cooking like this, willingly in his castle was something he couldn’t understand. He took the seat opposite to Harry. Once Voldemort had sat down, Harry picked up his knife and fork and started eating. Voldemort watched Harry as he ate and picked up his own knife and fork to eat. He hadn’t expected Harry to be such a great cook but the first bite proved his thoughts wrong. Harry was a great cook. Voldemort added it to the list of Harry’s skills and began eating.

Harry had just picked up his glass to drink the wine when Voldemort vanished the contents of his glass with a flick of his wand. Harry looked at his empty glass and stood up to pour himself some more but realized that the bottle was gone. Voldemort had force-fed him wine and now when he was willingly going to drink it, he wouldn’t let him. Harry filled his glass with plain water and drank. After finishing his meal and stood up. Voldemort spoke up,

“The meal was wonderful, Harry.”

Harry didn’t know how to respond to that so he kept quiet and picked up the empty plate and glass from in front of Voldemort and took them to the sink. He turned on the water and washed the dishes. He realized that he was calm and peaceful after so many days. Once he was done, he dried his hands with the kitchen towel and walked out of the kitchen.

He went to the closest knight and asked for directions to the orchard. Once the knight was done readjusting, he began walking and very soon found himself in the entrance of the castle. He stepped out and instantly fell in love with sensation of the cool night air on his skin. The bushes were glowing with soft light of the fireflies. The air was heavy with the scent of flowers. Harry took off his shoes and socks and walked over the cool, soft grass. The sensation was heavenly. He reached a bench and sat down. He leaned back on the bench and after making himself as comfortable as possible, he looked up at the starry night sky. His gaze fixated on the display of twinkling stars.

At that moment, there were no thoughts in his head. His head was perfectly clear. He had no confusion about his future course of action. But there was a tiny sensation, a constant buzzing that he didn’t know what to make of. It was as if his sixth sense was trying to tell him something but he couldn’t understand what it was saying. Harry drew a deep breath and erased all those thoughts.

He rummaged through his pockets for the chocolate he had gotten from the pantry and found it. Unwrapping the golden wrapper, he took a bite and just focused on savouring the sweetness of the candy. He remembered Lupin, when he had given him chocolate on the Hogwarts Express after he had been attacked by Dementors. Harry imagined Voldemort to be a particularly nasty dementor, who had sucked all the happiness from his life and he imagined banishing him with his Patronus. Harry laughed heartily at that thought, the first time he had truly laughed after his surrender. That was when he knew that the chocolate had worked.


	55. Chapter 55

Voldemort stepped out in the orchard. He found Harry shoes and socks by the door and vanished them. There was a chill in the air. His gaze found Harry leaning back on a bench and peacefully asleep. He walked over to him and sat down on the bench beside him. Slowly he reached over and rested his hand on Harry’s stomach. After closing his eyes, he focused on sensing life there. After a few minutes of meditation, he sensed it, the tiniest speck of life thriving to grow and develop. He couldn’t deny that he found it fascinating. It gave him a sense of supremacy when he thought that he had caused it to come to life.

He drew closer to Harry and kissed his neck. Harry stirred in his sleep, unconsciously exposing more of his neck. Voldemort smiled and decided to make the most of the opportunity. He trailed feathery soft kisses down his neck which soon turned into sharp nips. Harry gasped and was about to wake up when Voldemort effectively subdued him.

After he was done, he traced the fresh contusions trailing down Harry’s neck with his finger. He enjoyed it. He enjoyed hurting him. Harry thought that it was his emotions that made him interesting in his eyes but the boy was wrong. It was his fortitude that made him exceptional. Ordinary people broke when they suffered a certain amount of pain but Harry…………Harry wasn’t an ordinary person.

He had studied the boy closely. He had studied his reactions to his tortures. He had surveyed his screams. Harry thrived on pain. It had been that day since his childhood. In his early years, he had felt the pain of not being wanted and he had thrived. Any ordinary child would have ran away or killed himself or perhaps turned into a psychopath but Harry had thrived. He had endured the rough treatment of his relatives and kept himself sane.

At Hogwarts, Harry had unconsciously looked for pain. Throughout his five-year span, he had gotten himself into every dangerous situation. He had undertaken every perilous task because unconsciously, he had needed pain to thrive. Dumbledore had associated that with Harry’s need to save people but only he understood that it was more than that. Harry’s hero complex was a façade created by his mind to mask his need for pain. The boy himself wasn’t even aware that he had that need but nevertheless it was there.

Harry was a complex being and that suited his needs. Harry needed pain to prosper while he needed to cause pain. A match made in heaven, he thought sarcastically. But it was true. They were made for each other.

 He felt no guilt in admitting that he was a sadist but he had observed that Harry wasn’t a masochist. The boy didn’t derive pleasure from pain. He had initially thought that since the boy thrived on pain, he would display masochistic tendencies but nothing of the sort had happened. And he had been glad to know that the boy wasn’t a masochist because he didn’t want Harry to feel pleasure when he tortured him. He wanted to hear his screams, he wanted to see him writhe and he wanted to see the pain displayed in his eyes.

Voldemort’s hand found Harry’s messy locks and his thoughts were directed towards Harry’s new attitude. At first, he had decided to discourage it but when he had seen Harry cooking and doing the dishes, he had decided to study it more. It seemed to him that Harry was slowly beginning to settle into the castle. In other words, he was thriving. The pain that Harry had suffered due to the deaths of those two women had finally fulfilled his need and now he was beginning to thrive. It made sense but he wanted to see if it was true or not.

Voldemort exited his thoughts and stared up at the night sky. The sky would bear witness to the day when he would finally rule. He looked away from the sky and gathered Harry in his arms. He realized that Harry’s body was freezing cold. He cursed and took off his robes. Tightly wrapping them around Harry, he carried him inside. The last thing he needed was the boy to be sick.

He laid Harry down on the bed and pulled a thick blanket over him. Snuggling him into it tightly and satisfied with the level of warmth, he laid down beside him on the bed and watched him as he slept.

Harry opened his eyes and felt his entire being burning up. His head was aching and felt too heavy to lift. He attempted to get up but a hand on his chest stopped him. Harry looked up and found Voldemort staring down at him. Harry looked away and closed his eyes. Voldemort decided to speak,

“You fell asleep in the orchard last night. You are running a fever due to that.”

Harry pulled the blanket over his head and spoke,

“I’m fine. You can leave and do whatever it is that you do.”

Voldemort pulled the blanket from over his head,

“I’m not going anywhere until your fever dissipates.”

Harry decided that it was useless to argue. He had already made up his mind not to display any emotions so he looked up at Voldemort and spoke,

“Okay.”

Voldemort smiled brightly and helped Harry up into a sitting position. He summoned a bowl of soup and handed it to Harry. Harry looked down at the soup with aversion and felt a wave of nausea hit him.

Voldemort sensed it and took the soup away replacing it with an empty bowl. Harry threw up in it immediately and drew several deep breaths. He vanished the bowl and handed Harry a napkin to wipe his face clean. Harry leaned back against the headboard and cleaned his face. Once done, Voldemort replaced the napkin in his hand with a glass of water. Harry drank and once the glass was empty, Voldemort took it away,

“You have to eat something, Harry.”

Harry shook his head to say no and closed his eyes. Voldemort summoned a glass of orange juice and held it to Harry’s lips,

“Drink, Harry.”

Harry kept his eyes closed and drank slowly.

Once the glass was half empty, Harry pushed it away from his lips. His nausea was nearly gone but his body was still burning up. Whenever he opened his eyes he felt as if they were burning. Keeping them closed made him feel better.

Voldemort set the glass down on the side table and helped Harry lie down. Harry pulled the covers close to him and fell asleep immediately. Voldemort gently stroked Harry’s hair. He had been planning to give him a fever reducing potion but the boy’s morning sickness had left no room for that. He made a mental note to look up the duration of the morning sickness during the pregnancy. Summoning a newspaper, he began reading it while he waited for Harry to wake up.


	56. Chapter 56

Harry kept slipping in and out of consciousness for several hours. When he woke up completely, he kept his eyes closed. His head was still heavy with sleep. His throat and mouth were parched, as if he had been travelling through a hot desert for days. Voldemort sensed Harry’s wakefulness and rested his hand on Harry’s burning cheek. Voldemort’s cool touch felt too soothing and Harry leaned into it subconsciously, savouring the cool sensation. He spoke,

“Harry, you need to eat something before I can give you the potion.”

Harry kept his eyes closed and murmured sleepily,

“I’ll vomit again.”

Voldemort was about to mention that he hadn’t vomited because of the fever but decided not to. Harry mumbled again,

“Water.”

Voldemort helped Harry up into a sitting position and summoned a glass of cool water. Harry tried to take the glass in his hand but his grip was too slack. Voldemort held the glass to Harry’s lips and he drank. The water felt like heaven on his lips. When the glass was empty, Harry leaned back against the headboard and closed his eyes. Voldemort moved his hand to Harry’s burning neck. As soon as his fingers brushed against the contusions, Harry moaned in pain,

“At least spare me today.”

Voldemort chuckled softly and kissed Harry’s forehead. He summoned a mirror and held it up for Harry to see,

“Look.”

Harry opened his eyes and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His gaze swept over the bruises trailing down his neck and pushed the mirror away. He asked in a calm voice,

“When did that happen?”

Voldemort smiled and spoke,

“Last night.”

Harry closed his eyes again. He kept telling himself that it was no big deal. Voldemort had done worse to him but his heart failed to accept it. He wanted to cry. No, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t cry anymore. He had decided that. Harry decided that the best course of action was to just accept it. He couldn’t pretend that the bruises on his neck didn’t exist. Even if he ignored them today, there were more tortures awaiting him. He would endure all of Voldemort’s physical transgressions with a smile. That was the only way he had left. Everything inside him instantly grew calm and Harry opened his eyes.

Voldemort observed Harry’s reactions and thoughts carefully. He summoned a plate of sandwiches and set it in Harry’s lap,

“Eat, Harry.”

Harry picked one up hesitantly and ate. When he had finished, Voldemort spoke again,

“Have another.”

Harry pushed the plate away,

“I’m not hungry.”

A question was burning in Harry’s heart. If he was going to endure it then he needed to know the reason. The question finally rolled off his tongue,

“Why?”

Voldemort raised an eyebrow,

“Why what, Harry?”

Harry’s hand moved to his neck. Voldemort smiled and spoke,

“Because I could not resist the temptation. Because I felt like doing it, Harry.”

Harry looked up, met Voldemort’s gaze and smiled. Then he spoke,

“I understand.”

Harry made sure that the smile stayed on his lips. It widened when Voldemort’s smile vanished. Harry was expecting violence but it didn’t come. He felt as if Voldemort was restraining himself from hurting him. It was odd. Voldemort never wasted an opportunity to hurt him. He was brought out of his thoughts by Voldemort’s voice,

“Harry, eat.”

Harry looked up and realized that the smile was back on Voldemort’s lips. He had expected Voldemort to hurt him and leave in anger. Why was he still here and taking care of him? It was bothering him a lot. It was like when he had changed his attitude, Voldemort had changed his as well. He just couldn’t figure it out.

Voldemort could practically read the confusion in Harry’s eyes but he decided it was better to leave him confused.  

Harry picked up another sandwich from the plate and ate. His thoughts wandering off and his body burning up. When Harry had finished, Voldemort summoned a flask and held it to Harry’s lips. Harry drank it readily. Voldemort vanished the flask. Harry’s body grew limp as he fell asleep again. Voldemort laid Harry down again and kissed his fiery lips. He withdrew his lips and pulled the covers over Harry again.

He was certain that Harry would recover now. Harry would be sleeping for the next six hours, that gave him enough time to accomplish a few tasks. He donned his robes and disapparated from the room

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry woke up much later. He felt better. His hand moved to his cheek and he realized that it wasn’t burning anymore. His fever was gone. Harry pushed away the covers and stood up. His head spun but he took the support of the wall and walked to the bathroom. After splashing water on his face and rinsing his mouth, he walked back out. At least Voldemort was gone.

He looked at the bed and began making it. He corrected the sheets and set the pillows. When he was done, he looked around the room and noticed the window. Inspecting it closely he realized that there was a latch. He undid it and opened the window. Almost instantly the cool evening air rushed in. Harry sighed in relief and looked outside. The sun was setting. The sky was a wonderful mix of colours. Hues of orange blending in with purple and red. Harry observed the scene until the sun set completely and the sky had turned a dark shade of purple.

He turned away from the window and sat down in the arm chair usually occupied by Voldemort. He realized that he was hungry. He didn’t feel like cooking and he wasn’t going to ask for food. He was lost in these thoughts when Voldemort appeared. Harry didn’t look up or acknowledge his appearance.

Voldemort’s eyes scanned the room. His gaze swept over the made bed and landed on the open window. He smirked. The open window was proof that Harry had finally given up all prospects of escape.


	57. Chapter 57

Voldemort looked at Harry and spoke,

“Get dressed, Harry.”

Harry looked up,

“I’m already dressed.”

Voldemort conjured a black suit cover. He held it out to Harry,

“Wear it.”

Harry stood up. Normally he would argue but he had given up that attitude. He took it and unzipped the bag. Inside was a black suit. Harry took it out of the cover and observed it. It looked expensive but Harry wondered why Voldemort had gotten him a suit. Why hadn’t he gotten him dress robes instead?

“Harry, we’re running late.”

Harry felt tempted to ask what they were running late for but resisted it. He had just taken out the black shirt and dress pants and was walking towards the bathroom when Voldemort spoke again,

“You can change here.”

Harry spoke without thinking,

“But you’re here.”

Voldemort chuckled softly and walked towards him. He caressed his cheek and spoke in a low voice,

“You are my spouse, Harry. I think we should have a certain level of intimacy. Besides I have seen you naked.”

Harry just wanted to get as far away as possible from Voldemort. But he had to endure. He would endure. Voldemort was just toying with him. Harry forced himself to smile and looked up at Voldemort,

“You forced me to take the vows, husband dear. But I’ll still fulfil them.”

Harry set the clothes on the bed and stripped his jeans and shirt off. Harry was glad that he was at least wearing boxers. Voldemort regarded Harry’s nearly naked form lustfully and looked disapprovingly at his black boxers. Harry wore the black dress pants and realized that they fit him perfectly. He put on the shirt and did the buttons. He realized that the shirt was form fitting. After tucking in his shirt, Harry caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and saw that the shirt was enhancing his lean figure

He walked past Voldemort and took out a pair of socks from the wardrobe and put them on. He found a pair of black polished shoes and wore them. He combed his long messy locks but didn’t have any luck taming them. He didn’t even know where Voldemort was taking him. He turned around and found that Voldemort was dressed in a similar suit. Harry wondered how Voldemort had changed so quickly. But then thought bitterly that Voldemort had his wand. He could use magic. All the restrictions for only meant for him.

Harry wore his suit jacket and buttoned it. Suddenly he felt Voldemort’s arm wrap around his waist. Harry stood still. He was tempted to push Voldemort away but resisted the urge. He felt Voldemort’s breath inches from his neck,

“At times like these, I have the urge to lock you away and never let another being see you.”

Harry felt Voldemort’s grip tighten around his waist almost possessively. Harry spoke,

“You already have me locked away. No one can see me in this castle. No one knows I’m here.”

Voldemort kissed Harry’s neck and then spoke,

“But people do feast their eyes upon you.”

Harry mulled that over in this head and became terrified by the concept. He couldn’t spend the rest of his life locked away here. Even though Sirius had become a death eater, he still felt reassured to see him. Harry knew he had to do something. Suddenly it struck him. Voldemort was threatening him. Harry spoke,

“I won’t create a scene. I learned from my mistake.”

Voldemort kissed his cheek and pulled him closer,

“Good boy.”

Voldemort gripped his forearm and they disapparated. When Harry’s feet hit solid ground, Harry drew several deep breaths. After he felt stable enough, he looked around and realized that they were in a dark alleyway. Voldemort walked out of the alleyway. Harry followed and realized that they were in a busy street. Harry tried to discern which part of the world they were in now but couldn’t. Voldemort walked through the street and led Harry through a small door. They passed through a dark corridor and down a flight of stairs. As soon as they reached the basement, Harry felt as if he had stepped into another world.

The basement wasn’t the small space Harry had imagined it to be. It was an enormous dining hall, lit with only candles. Harry found the candle light somehow soothing. Voldemort led him to a table. A waiter rushed towards them and pulled the seat out for Voldemort. Voldemort took a seat. Another waiter pulled a seat for Harry and Harry sat down. The waiters placed a menu in front of both of them. Harry wondered why Voldemort had brought him here. He decided to ask,

“Why are we here?”

Voldemort smiled and spoke softly,

“Dinner, Harry. I thought that was apparent.”

Harry looked around the restaurant. The people around them were definitely muggles but Harry realized that they all had something common. They were all males. Harry found it strange. Before he could ask a question, Voldemort spoke again,

“I know that you are starving, Harry. You haven’t had a proper meal since yesterday. Order anything you like.”

Harry looked at the menu and went through it. He had no clue as to what he was supposed to order. Voldemort seemed to have read his thoughts and ordered for the both of them. The rest of the meal passed in silence. When Harry was done, he felt an odd craving for ice cream. But when he remembered the last time, Voldemort had fed him ice cream, Harry decided not to voice it. Voldemort however had seemed to have read his thoughts. He called for the waiter and ordered ice cream for him.

Harry enjoyed his ice cream when it arrived. It was irrevocably the best ice cream he had ever had. The atmosphere in the restaurant was comfortable. There was no loud chatter. People were talking in soft murmurs and Harry saw most of them holding hands and trading loving gestures. Harry knew it would look out of place outside, in the real world, but It didn’t seem out of place here. It was just love, wasn’t it? Harry looked away from the couples and focused on eating his ice cream.

Voldemort observed the wonder in Harry’s eyes. The whole reason for bringing him here was to make him wonder. He had achieved that successfully. Now he just had to wait and see how Harry would react.


	58. Chapter 58

“Harry, are you done?”

Harry had been staring at his empty bowl, lost in some thoughts. He looked up at Voldemort’s voice and nodded silently. Voldemort asked for the bill and Harry realized that Voldemort paid with muggle money. Voldemort stood up and Harry did the same. They exited the restaurant and Voldemort walked casually into another dark alleyway. Harry followed silently. Voldemort gripped his forearm and they disapparated.

They appeared back in the castle. Voldemort held Harry by the shoulders and asked,

“Did you enjoy yourself?”

Harry thought on that for a moment. It had been unusually peaceful and he had somehow found comfort in the restaurant atmosphere,

“It was nice.”

Voldemort smiled and patted his cheek,

“You are learning, Harry. I am pleased with your progress.”

Harry faked a smile. Voldemort tsked,

“You still need to work on your smile.”

Harry nodded quietly. Voldemort began walking and Harry followed silently. He didn’t even know whether he was supposed to be following Voldemort or not but at the moment he felt it was the only thing to do. They reached a door that he remembered almost too well. Harry came to a halt and took a few steps back. Voldemort turned around to face him,

“You remember this, don’t you?”

Harry continued to retreat until his back hit the wall. Voldemort drew closer to him and held him around the waist. Harry felt Voldemort’s hands move over his back and Harry remembered the pain. He finally spoke through numb lips,

“I didn’t do anything to warrant this.”

Voldemort smiled and patted his cheek,

“You have been on your best behaviour. Relax.”

Harry’s shoulders slumped in relief and released the breath he didn’t know he had been holding. He decided to ask,

“What are we doing here then?”

Voldemort kept his hold on Harry’s waist and softly whispered in his ear,

“Training.”

Harry felt confused at that. Training………but this was a torture chamber……...what training could Voldemort possibly………… His thoughts trailed off as he came to a conclusion,

“I won’t torture anyone.”

Voldemort laughed and patted Harry on the back,

“I doubt that you could torture anyone even if you hated them with all your heart. However, that is not the type of training you are here for.”

Harry stared up at Voldemort in confusion. He couldn’t understand what Voldemort was planning or what he had in store for him. He just knew it couldn’t be good,

“But then what type of training?”

Voldemort smirked and Harry could see the amusement in his clearly,

Let me show you, Harry.”

He released Harry and walked to the door, it opened by itself and Voldemort walked in. Harry stood against the wall. His feet didn’t want to move but he had to. Harry took several deep breaths. He wouldn’t be afraid. Harry walked inside the room. The door closed behind me, as soon as he entered.

Voldemort was standing in the middle of the room with his back to Harry. Harry kept his gaze fixed on Voldemort and walked to see what Voldemort was focused on. What he saw, forced a gasp from his lips and he took several steps back.

A man lay crumpled on the floor. His face wasn’t visible. But Harry could practically feel the man’s despair and terror. Harry wanted to ask what was going on but he couldn’t find the words. He closed his eyes and told himself over and over again that he wouldn’t be afraid. He wouldn’t be toyed with. He wouldn’t get intimidated.

“Harry, do you understand now what the training is about?”

Harry shook his head to say no. He still had no idea what was going on,

“You are not that dense.”

Voldemort sounded livid. Harry tried to think of something but nothing came to mind. Voldemort sighed in exasperation,

“Harry, I am going to train you to keep yourself under control if someone is tortured in front of you.”

Harry looked up in shock. He couldn’t comprehend what Voldemort was implying,

“What?”

Voldemort walked towards Harry and held him by the shoulders,

“I cannot have you rushing to everyone’s aid, Harry. There will be times when you shall have to witness torture and sometimes it may be people you know who are being tortured. I shall not have you getting in the way.”

Harry listened silently. Everything inside him was screaming. How was he supposed to watch when someone writhed in front him? How was he supposed to listen to someone’s screams and pleas for mercy and not do anything?

“Are you listening to me, Harry?”

Harry nodded quietly. Voldemort smirked and continued talking,

“After I am finished training you, you will understand that your silence and endurance shall have limitless rewards.”

Harry looked down at the man on the floor. His hair was dishevelled and hiding his face from view. He was unconscious for now. Harry finally broke his silence,

“Who is he?”

Voldemort turned around and regarded the man again,

“He is a muggle. Completely Dispensable. I do not believe in shedding magical blood unless it is absolutely necessary.”

That sparked a question inside Harry,

“But you killed those women in Paris. They were witches.”

Voldemort chuckled,

“Harry, I did not kill them merely to acquire the robes, I killed them because that woman saw through your glamour and even though she did not immediately recognize you, I am certain that she would have in time.”

Harry’s mind was buzzing with a thousand questions,

“Why didn’t you just erase the memory from their mind? Killing them wasn’t necessary.”

Voldemort was listening with attention and replied promptly,

“Memories can never truly be erased. They are just pushed into the dark recesses of the mind, out of sight but not unreachable.”

Harry looked down at his feet. He did not have a counter argument to that. Voldemort gently raised Harry’s face to meet his gaze. Harry looked up into Voldemort’s red eyes and Voldemort asked,

“Are you ready, Harry?”

Harry knew he would never be ready. This was something he hadn’t thought of, something he hadn’t perceived. Could he really stay strong through something like this? He decided that it was time to finally test his strength and he spoke,

“Yes.”

Voldemort smiled brightly. Harry realized that he was ecstatic. Harry could see it in his crimson gaze. Voldemort rubbed his hands together and drew out his wand,

“Let us begin then.”


	59. Chapter 59

Harry took a few steps back as Voldemort revived the man. The man stirred and began coming back to consciousness. Harry watched him as he steadily raised himself on his knees. His face became visible and the recognition hit him like a lightning bolt,

“This can’t be…………”

Harry stepped back and closed his eyes tightly. This man couldn’t be his uncle. The bodily appearance didn’t match but the face was his uncle’s. Harry heard his name being called in a hoarse voice,

“Harry, is that you?”

Harry covered his ears with his hands. Voldemort drew closer to him and pulled his hands away from his ears,

“Ha…...Harry………my nephew.”

The voice spoke again,

“I can’t bear this.”

Harry had spoken to Voldemort. Voldemort kissed Harry’s head and smiled,

“You need to go through with this. Open your eyes and face him.”

Voldemort wrapped one arm around Harry’s waist and pointed his wand at Vernon Dursley. Harry opened his eyes and looked at the man standing in front of him. His uncle was not the beefy man he once was. He looked emaciated and weak. His hair was long and matted. A layer of grime and dust was settled on his clothes and his skin. But the eyes……the eyes were still the same………...small, blue and mean.

Harry’s entire body trembled as the past came back to him. Voldemort felt it and his grip tightened around his waist,

“Relax.”

Harry couldn’t. He wasn’t strong enough for this,

“Harry, Relax!”

It was an order and Harry’s body obeyed instantly. The trembling stopped. Harry wondered how that had happened. Voldemort kept his wand pointed towards Vernon Dursley as he began begging to be released,

“Harry………. I’m your uncle. You stayed at my house for fifteen years……. I fed you for fifteen years……………. you owe me boy………...”

Harry could hear Voldemort gnashing his teeth in anger,

“Here is what he owes you.”

Voldemort cast Crucio and Harry watched as his uncle fell to the ground, writhing and screaming. Harry tried to move his hands towards his ears again but Voldemort held him tightly,

“Watch him, listen to him, Harry.”

His uncle’s screams had gone on for less than a minute when Voldemort cancelled the curse. He released Harry and walked over to the trembling, crying mess on the floor. Voldemort kicked him in the stomach with his foot and Harry heard his uncle begging for mercy. Voldemort laughed maniacally,

“Did you have mercy upon him?”

Unbidden tears streamed down Harry’s cheeks. He remembered all the times his uncle had treated him as nothing more than an animal. A part of him wanted to answer Voldemort’s question. He wanted to tell him about all the times when his uncle hadn’t had mercy upon him. He wanted to take the wand from Voldemort and torture the man himself. But that part of him was tiny, miniscule, negligible. The other part of him wanted to rush to his uncle’s aid. He wanted to beg Voldemort to release him. He wanted to beg Voldemort to have mercy.

Voldemort looked up from Vernon to Harry. He seemed to have read his thoughts and was smiling joyously. Harry cursed himself for thinking something as evil as torturing his uncle. But somehow his heart did not find that idea evil. What was happening to him? Harry knew he had to walk away. He felt as if he was going crazy. Harry ran to the door and tried to pull it open,

“Let me out, please. I can’t do this.”

Voldemort was behind him an instance and held him in his arms. He turned him around to face him and wiped the tears from his eyes,

“You think you are going crazy because your heart and your mind want retribution for all those years of torment. There is nothing wrong with wanting justice.”

Voldemort led him back to where Vernon Dursley lay on the floor. He pointed his wand at him again and whispered,

“Crucio.”

The screaming began anew and Harry wanted to sink into the floor or disappear into the walls. He wanted to get as far away as possible from the screams,

“Please stop.”

He begged Voldemort but the screaming continued and Voldemort held the curse for twenty more minutes during which Harry had cried and begged and struggled against Voldemort’s grip to rush to his uncle and save him somehow.

“For my sake, stop.”

Harry had screamed out and Voldemort lifted the curse. Harry looked at his uncle whose tongue was hanging out and he seemed to be slobbering like a dog. He knew that his uncle had lost his mind, just like Neville’s parents had lost theirs.

Voldemort turned Harry around again and looked into his green eyes, glistening with tears,

“He deserves this, Harry. He deserves this pain……. your mind understands it, your heart understands it. You are fighting yourself. You are fighting the truth.”

“He has lost his mind, hasn’t he? I watched it happen. I just stood here and let it happen.”

Voldemort saw the despair in Harry’s eyes and he didn’t like it. They were both dressed in the suits. However, Harry looked like hell now. His hair had been dishevelled during his struggling. His face was pale and his lips had lost all their colour. His eyes that had been so full of wonder a while ago in the restaurant were now full of misery.

Voldemort fought an inner turmoil of his own. He had loved despair in Harry’s eyes before but why didn’t he like it today? What had changed? Nothing had changed. The despair in Harry’s eyes reminded him of his own past. It reminded him of his days at the orphanage. Before he knew what, he was doing, he had embraced Harry. He held him in his arms and moved his fingers through his hair soothingly.

Harry felt something stir inside him as soon as Voldemort embraced him, it was the sudden sense of safety. It was a warmth that he had never felt before in Voldemort’s arms. It was different and Harry found himself melting in his arms unknowingly but not unwillingly.


	60. Chapter 60

When Harry had calmed down to a certain degree, Voldemort spoke in soft voice,

“You have to make a decision, Harry.”

Harry stepped back from Voldemort and looked up into his eyes,

“What kind of decision?”

Voldemort smiled and spoke,

“A decision that you shall have to make on several occasions in your life.”

Harry thought on that and came up with a question,

“Aren’t decisions supposed to be made by free will?”

Voldemort knew where Harry’s thoughts were heading and his smile grew wide,

“Yes, they are.”

“I can’t make decisions then. I surrendered my free will to you months ago.”

Harry just wanted to get out of the torture chamber. He could hear Uncle Vernon’s screams echoing through his head and he wanted to drown them out. He felt a sickening sensation in his stomach and he needed fresh air badly,

“You will make it, Harry.”

Harry ignored all the sensations going through his body and decided to ask,

“What is the decision?”

Voldemort’s smile broadened and he spoke,

“You have to decide whether your uncle lives or dies.”

Harry’s eyes darted back to his uncle’s, now limp, form and fear grew in his eyes,

“I can’t decide that.”

Voldemort looked around the room,

“If you do not decide then I shall get more creative with my torture methods.”

Harry knew what Voldemort was implying and his hands balled into fists,

“I’m…………”

But his sentence was cut short as his vision went dark. Voldemort caught him before he fell and checked his vitals. Harry’s heart beat was slow…. too slow. He chained the man and carried Harry out of the torture chamber. His thoughts running through possible causes for Harry’s condition, only one cause struck out but he had to check whether his assumption was correct or not.

He entered the bedroom and laid Harry down on the bed. He ran a diagnostic spell over Harry and conjured a book. Flipping through the pages he reached the page, he had been looking for. His thoughts immediately turned to the point when he had first noticed Harry’s paleness and his colourless lips during the torture session and he mentally cursed. The symptoms had displayed themselves, he had been too ignorant to notice. He closed the book and vanished it.

This was turning out to be more troublesome than he had initially thought. He felt the craving to just kill the baby, developing inside Harry, and be done with the whole matter. There would be no more morning sickness and blackouts and he would be free to hurt Harry as he pleased. However, his rational side won out and he subdued his craving.

Voldemort stood up and changed Harry’s clothes with a flick of his wand and then changed his. He undid the top two buttons of Harry’s black shirt and spotted the contusions. His fingers moved over them and he kissed Harry’s neck. His thoughts drifted off to the moment when he had embraced Harry a few minutes ago. He admitted it as his moment of weakness and vowed that it would never occur again. He felt the sadistic need to torture Harry for bringing on that moment but restrained it.

He took Harry in his arms and fell asleep holding him in a possessive grip.

\------------------------------------------------

Harry woke up and the first thing he felt was the arms holding him. His first thought was to check for the sensation of his clothes and he relaxed when he felt them. He lay still and opened his eyes. Voldemort’s handsome features greeted him. Harry wanted to reach out and feel his face just to know that it really was Voldemort sleeping next to him. The man looked like a harmless angel when he was asleep but Harry knew that he was anything but that.

Harry closed his eyes again. He remembered the first time he had woken up like this in Voldemort’s arms. He had wondered then and he wondered now, why wasn’t he freaking out? Why wasn’t he just getting away from the man? He wasn’t restrained or paralyzed then, why? The answer came to him but he refused to accept it. His head and heart both speaking in unison. Had Voldemort been right, last night? Was he really fighting himself?

His thoughts immediately changed directions, what had happened to him last night? Why had he passed out like that? Another thought arose. Was Uncle Vernon still alive? Voldemort had asked him to decide but he had passed out. Harry felt a finger on his scar and he opened his eyes,

“I have told you before, Harry. Your thoughts are too loud.”

Harry’s eyes met Voldemort’s crimson gaze and he spoke,

“What happened to me?”

Voldemort traced his scar with his finger and seemed to be lost in thoughts of his own,

“What did it feel like to be “the boy who lived”?”

Harry hadn’t expected that question,

“What?”

Voldemort continued to trace his scar and spoke again,

“I want to know what you felt when people called you “the boy who lived”. I want to know what you felt when they acknowledged you as their saviour.”

Harry thought about that. What had he felt? He wasn’t so sure what he had felt,

“I don’t know. I’m not sure. They always recognized me by my scar and treated me like I was something sacred. I don’t think I’ve ever been treated like a kid, everyone just thought of me as a war hero, a veteran or something like that. I was only a baby when you gave me that scar. I didn’t even know I had defeated you until I was eleven.”

Voldemort kissed his scar in one swooping motion,

“When I gave you that scar, I did not mark you as my equal. I marked you as mine. You could never have belonged to anyone else.”

Harry realized that Voldemort was closer to him than before. Voldemort was leaning on him. He could feel the weight of Voldemort’s torso on his. Harry could feel their breaths mingling. He wondered what the scene would look like from a distance and the image that came to his mind, made his cheeks redden,

“I am not yours.”

Voldemort had a playful look in his eyes,

“Are you sure about that, Harry?”


	61. Chapter 61

Harry stood in front of the mirror, showered and dressed, trying to tame his hair. Voldemort stepped behind him and took the comb from his hand. The playful look had been plastered on Voldemort’s face since the time he had woken up. Voldemort moved the comb through Harry’s dripping locks with the precision of a professional hair dresser,

“I find your hair very fascinating, Harry.”

Harry felt his scalp sting as Voldemort pulled on several tangled knots of hair. His hands flew up to his scalp trying to seek some salvation from the constant onslaught of the comb, but Voldemort gently hit them with the comb,

“Stop fidgeting, Harry.”

Harry felt tears erupt in his eyes as Voldemort pulled on another knot of hair. Harry spoke out,

“Why can’t you just cut them?”

Voldemort laughed,

“I think long hair suit you.”

Harry sighed and looked at his reflection in the mirror again. He suddenly realized that his hair was gradually getting sleeker and flatter but the curls were still there. His jaw dropped. It was a miracle. Voldemort’s smirk widened,

“You have to keep them that way. Is that understood?”

Harry nodded silently. Voldemort handed the comb back to Harry,

“Do you feel like having breakfast?”

Harry thought for a moment and then said,

“No, I might throw up.”

Voldemort nodded in understanding,

“Do you want to see your uncle?”

Harry took a deep breath and nodded. He might as well get that over with. Voldemort walked out of the room and Harry followed quietly. They stood outside the door of the torture chamber again,

“You will have to decide your Uncle’s fate. I want you to observe first and then decide.”

Voldemort walked inside the room. Harry drew a deep breath and his feet led him inside. Harry found his uncle chained on the floor. His body racking with spasms and his entire being trembling and shuddering. The man was drooling and making wet sounds like an infant. Harry couldn’t stand the sight. He had watched his uncle descend into madness and he had been unable to do anything. The vindictive part of him still said that his uncle deserved this. Harry turned his back to his uncle.

“Harry, decide.”

“I need time.”

Harry walked out of the room and drew several deep breaths. His breath was constricting in his throat. He needed air. Harry walked down the corridor. His feet guiding him unconsciously through the labyrinth. Memories of his uncle flashing through his mind. Harry had no idea where he was but when he looked around, he realized that he was in the entrance. Grateful for some open air, Harry walked out of the castle and stepped into the orchard. The sky was covered with clouds. Harry knew it would rain. He wanted it to rain. Maybe the rain would take away all his pain. The cool air cleared his mind and he felt revitalized. Harry walked out into the greenery and just paced around, feeling the dew-covered flowers with his fingertips. Loving the freshness and calm.

He had asked for time to think about his decision and Voldemort had given him that but Harry knew that Voldemort would not wait forever. Sooner or later, he would have to make a choice. He didn’t want his uncle to live the same life as the Longbottoms. He didn’t want his aunt or Dudley to live like Neville. But taking a decision about someone’s life was something he couldn’t do. He wasn’t God.

Voldemort looked out the window of his study and watched Harry as he paced around restlessly. The boy was no doubt thinking. He had decided to give Harry all the time he needed to decide. Pressurizing him was useless. He looked down at his watch. The conference was tonight and he needed to make preparations. Voldemort decided that Harry’s decision would have to wait, he robed himself and disapparated from his study

Harry got tired of pacing and collapsed on the bench. He felt exhausted. He wondered how long he had been pacing. A plate of sandwiches appeared beside him on the bench, he picked one up instinctively and ate it in two bites. He was definitely hungry. Something like guilt pooled in his stomach. His uncle must be starving as well. Harry remembered all the years when he had been starved and his vindictive side felt pleased that his uncle was finally brought to justice.

Harry shook his head and picked up the plate of sandwiches from the bench. He walked back inside the castle and followed the metal armours to the torture chamber. Pushing open the door slowly, he walked inside and found his uncle in the same state as the morning. He walked close to him and sat down on the carpet beside him. After a few minutes of silent staring, Harry decided to talk to him,

“Can you hear me, Uncle Vernon?”

His uncle continued to make wet noises and muttered something inaudible. Harry drew closer to him to listen properly and Harry realized that his uncle was constantly muttering something. Harry had just touched his uncle’s cheek when the man started roaring the words out,

“FREAKS……THEY’RE ALL FREAKS………. KILL THEM ALL………. KILL THE BOY FIRST!!!!!”

Harry’s breath caught in his throat. He wanted to get out of the room but he had to listen to this. His uncle was a monster and even now when he had lost his mind, he was still a monster. Harry crawled to the far side of the chamber, leaned against the wall and sat down. He listened to his uncle yell a thousand different ways to kill him,

“KILL THE WRETCHED BOY…………...TEAR HIM APART…...…. FEED HIM TO THE DOGS…………...”

It went on for minutes, maybe hours. At some point, Harry had closed his eyes and just listened to it all,

“BURN HIM……………...SMOTHER HIM TO DEATH…………. KNIFE HIM…………”

Harry opened his eyes when his uncle’s voice began to fade away. Harry felt the wetness on his cheeks and he realized that he was crying. He wiped away the tears. He had come here to convince himself that his uncle was innocent. He had come here to see his uncle repent for all his mistreatments but instead something inside him had decided. Harry sat there and watched his uncle drool and mutter incoherently.

He didn’t know how long he just sat there. A swish of a cloak told him that Voldemort had just entered the room. Harry didn’t regard his presence and continued to stare blankly at the now unconscious form of his uncle.

Voldemort entered the room and saw Harry sitting on the floor in the corner of the room. He walked close to him and patted him on the head,

“What are you doing here, Harry?”

Harry couldn’t reply, he looked up and brought the memory from earlier to the forefront of his mind. Voldemort saw the memory through Harry’s eyes and he felt rage. Harry saw the rage flare up in Voldemort’s eyes but it vanished after a split second,

“Your decision, Harry.”

Harry closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. When he spoke, it took all his will power and strength to form the words,

“I don’t want him to live.”

Voldemort smirked and pointed his wand towards the chained man,

“Avada Kedavra.”

The room was filled with a sickly green light. Harry saw it through his closed lashes and he knew it was all over. Harry banged his head softly against the wall and tears streamed down his cheeks. What had he done?

Voldemort saw Harry’s condition and decided to give him time to stabilize on his own,

“Harry, the conference is in three hours. I want you to get over this till then.”

Voldemort vanished the dead body and left the room.

After an hour, Harry opened his eyes and looked around the room. It was empty. He stood up and walked around the room, looking at the vast variety of whips, paddles, floggers and other oddities hanging from the walls. Harry tried to discern which one he had been whipped with but they all looked the same. He ignored the whips and made his way to the black leather couch in the distance.

Harry observed it and saw leather restraints on both ends of it. He laid down on it and exhaled. Despite the location and purpose of the couch, Harry found it extremely comfortable. As soon as his back rested against it, he felt himself being lulled into a deep sleep. Harry knew that it wasn’t the couch, it was the satisfaction that he had received from his uncle’s death. His eyelids grew heavy and he drifted off into a peaceful slumber.


	62. Chapter 62

Harry felt himself being shaken into awareness. At first, he thought it was an earthquake, he soon realized that it was just Voldemort,

“Harry, get up immediately. We are running late.”

Harry sat up straight and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes,

“I don’t know……...I guess I just overslept.”

He stood up and realized that Voldemort was furious. He knew that this conference or meeting or whatever it was, was supposed to extremely important. Voldemort had made him study for it and now he was messing it up. Of course, Voldemort would be furious,

“It’ll just take me ten minutes to get ready.”

Voldemort wanted to just torture Harry right there and then but decided against it. He didn’t want the boy to look mistreated,

“Ten minutes………that’s all you have.”

Harry rushed out of the room and to the bedroom. After a quick shower, he wrapped a towel around himself and stepped out into the bedroom to look for something to wear. Suddenly he remembered the robes, Salazar Slytherin’s robes. Voldemort had gotten them for him especially for this meeting. He felt dread clench his heart. He didn’t want to wear them. Someone had been killed to acquire them. They were tainted with blood.

Harry realized that he was wasting time. He pulled out a pair of black jeans and a black button up shirt. In no time, he was dressed up or almost dressed up. He went to the mirror and moved the comb through his hair and realized how his hair yielded and were soon back to the sleek, neat form they had been in the morning. Voldemort appeared in the room and Harry saw his rage dissipate as he saw him,

“Very good, Harry. We shall not be late after all.”

Voldemort stepped close to him and conjured the robes, Harry had been dreading. As soon as the robes appeared in the room. Harry began hearing the hissing of the snakes. He stepped back and Voldemort stepped forward,

“Wear them.”

Harry looked at the robes and remembered the old woman and her death,

“I can’t.”

He felt Voldemort’s rage building up again,

“You can either wear them willingly or I shall make you wear them forcibly.”

Harry knew he had no choice. He took the robes from Voldemort and put them on. As soon as he put them on, the hissing turned into well-defined words,

“Not an heir. You are not an heir……………sssspouse of an heir……….”

Harry realized that the snakes had been determining who he was. The robes fitted around his body automatically and Harry felt a comfortable warmth emanate from the fabric,

“They seem to have accepted you, Harry.”

Harry nodded quietly. He hadn’t wanted to wear them but now when he had, he felt like he didn’t want to take them off. Harry walked to the mirror and looked at his reflection. The two snakes on the panels looked vividly real and ready to jump out. He felt a kiss on his head,

“You shall follow a few rules. Do not talk to Vampires. You shall not drink any alcoholic beverages. You shall behave yourself throughout the event. I want you to socialize tonight but you shall not mention your whereabouts or our personal matters. If you step out of line, I shall kill your Godfather as painfully as possible.”

Harry listened and understood most of it except,

“Our personal matters?”

Voldemort smirked and kissed Harry’s neck softly,

“We shall be masquerading as a happily married couple tonight.”

Harry understood what Voldemort was implying. He didn’t want him to mention all the tortures that he had inflicted upon him. Tonight, he was supposed to act happy. He was supposed to act like his life was full of sunshine and rainbows,

“I’ll do my best.”

Voldemort patted Harry on the back and smiled,

“You will do it, Harry. Your Godfather’s life hangs in the balance.”

Harry nodded quietly,

“I know.”

Harry looked at himself in the mirror and practiced his smile. It looked weak but no one would notice it. He just needed to keep that smile on his face for the rest of the night. His gaze travelled to Voldemort and he saw that Voldemort looked extremely satisfied. That was a good sign. Voldemort waved his wand and Harry felt shoes and socks on his feet. The shoes were so well polished that Harry could see his reflection in them.

Voldemort took Harry’s arm in his and they disapparated. Harry felt the familiar uncomfortable sensation but it was over as soon as it started. Harry felt his feet touch solid ground. He looked around and realized that he was standing in the courtyard of a medieval castle. Harry looked around and realized that they were the only one’s there. Voldemort spoke in a dismayed voice,

“We are late.”

Harry snickered and spoke,

“Fashionably late.”

Voldemort’s disappointment vanished at Harry’s comment and they made their way inside the grand entrance of the castle. As soon as Harry stepped inside and looked around, he felt as if he had stepped in another world. He saw it filled with people and magical creatures, but Harry guessed that the people weren’t really people either. They must be Vampires or Werewolves. Voldemort moved an arm around Harry’s waist and they walked into the crowd. Harry felt every eye in the vicinity trained on them and he felt uncomfortable.

They made their way towards the front of the hall, where a very handsome man dressed in a black suit greeted them,

“Lord Voldemort, it is a pleasure to see you and your………”

His voice trailed off as he looked for the perfect word to describe Harry. Voldemort smiled almost too sweetly and Harry felt his grip tighten around his waist,

“My spouse, Harry Potter.”

He clapped his hand with delight,

“Ah yes, your spouse. Many congratulations on your wedlock. You should have invited us. Won’t you introduce me to your spouse?”

Harry looked at the exchange and wondered if he was supposed to talk or not. Voldemort spoke,

“This is Sanguini, Harry. He is one of the chief Vampire lords.”

Harry knew he had to smile and so he did,

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sanguini.”

Harry looked around as Voldemort started discussing politics with the vampire. Harry was just observing the many people around him when his gaze found someone. Someone he had never expected to see in a place like this. Someone he had thought he had known.


	63. Chapter 63

Harry tried to convince himself that his eyes had deceived him. Voldemort seemed to have sensed Harry’s restlessness and released his hold around his waist,

“Harry, I think that you should socialize on your own.”

Harry nodded quietly and walked away to confirm his suspicions. As soon as Harry disappeared into the crowd. Sanguini addressed Voldemort,

“I must congratulate you, you shall finally have an heir. When I heard the news for the first time, I was surprised and I did not believe it but now when I have seen it with my own eyes and felt it with my senses, I cannot help but congratulate you. When will you tell him?”

Voldemort looked around the crowd and spoke,

“He shall know soon enough.”

Harry walked through the crowd, greeting anyone he encountered and receiving congratulations from them in return. He was just engaged in conversation with a centaur, as his eyes roamed through the crowd when a familiar voice forced him to turn around. Harry turned around and saw Remus Lupin, standing a few feet away from him. Harry excused himself from the centaur and hugged Remus. He was lost for words and it seemed that Remus was in the same state. Harry controlled his tears with difficulty. He felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Sirius’s voice,

“Harry, how are you?”

Harry drew a deep breath and looked at Remus. He saw tears shining in his eyes. Remus held Harry by the shoulders and finally spoke,

“How are you?”

Harry didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He didn’t know whether to lie or tell the truth,

“I’m alive.”

Remus seemed to have read the pain in his eyes but smiled despite everything. They both had to keep appearances. Remus finally spoke,

“Congratulations, Harry.”

Harry wanted to cry but he knew that everyone around them was observing their conversation,

“Thanks, Remus.”

Sirius walked and wrapped one arm around Remus’s shoulder,

“Look at you both…… getting so emotional. I think we should celebrate our reunion.”

Harry knew that Sirius was trying to lighten their moods but the pain in Sirius’s eyes was self-explanatory. Harry hitched up his well-rehearsed smile and spoke,

“Yeah, I guess we should. Despite everything, we’re standing here together.”

Sirius smiled and spoke,

“Let’s get a drink then.”

Harry remembered what Voldemort had told him about alcoholic beverages and he was about to point that out when Remus spoke,

“He can’t drink.”

Understanding flashed in Sirius’s eyes and something like rage burned in them, but it vanished as soon as it had appeared. Sirius slapped his forehead with his hand and his smile returned,

“I’m so sorry. I forgot. You’re still underage.”

Harry felt an arm snake around his waist and he didn’t have to look to know who was holding him. Voldemort spoke,

“Yes, Harry is still underage. Remus Lupin, where is Greyback? I was hoping to talk to him about certain matters.”

Harry couldn’t understand what was going on. Who was Greyback? And why was Remus here?

Remus spoke,

“He shall be arriving soon. I was sent earlier to inform of his late arrival.”

Voldemort nodded in understanding,

“Well I do hope that we shall be allies very soon.”

Remus smiled softly,

“Greyback feels that your policies regarding us are highly favourable and I think that there is a high probability that he shall make a decision tonight.”

Harry’s thoughts began to grow clear. So, Remus was here because of the werewolves and it seemed as if the werewolves were planning to side with Voldemort in the future which meant that Remus was allying with Voldemort as well.

Harry noticed the delight on Voldemort’s face. Why was Voldemort so happy? Remus excused himself and departed. Sirius followed him,

“Harry, you got distracted. Do not let that happen again.”

Harry nodded as Voldemort steered him towards a group of goblins. Most of the discussions regarding financial matters and money went over Harry’s head but he still managed to participate in the discussion to some extent. Harry began to understand the purpose of the meeting. Voldemort was gathering allies for his future plans and if his delight was anything to go by, Voldemort was succeeding in his mission.

Sirius and Remus stood in a corridor all alone, with concern clouding their faces,

“Are you absolutely sure, Remus?”

Remus nodded. Sirius slumped against the wall and moved his fingers through his hair,

“He’s too young for this. I thought Voldemort was lying to us when he announced it but now you’re saying that it’s true.”

Remus sighed and spoke in a low voice,

“I’ve sensed it, Sirius. Everyone here knows that Harry is carrying Voldemort’s heir. This is probably going to win over all the magical creatures to his side.”

Sirius punched the wall,

“But Harry doesn’t know. It’s not right and I can’t do anything about it”

Remus rested his hand on Sirius’s shoulder,

“Calm down, Sirius.”

Sirius drew a deep breath and his posture relaxed,

“I just want to help him. I can’t let him spend all his life with that monster.”

Remus patted his shoulder,

“He is safer on the winning side.”

Sirius turned around and saw the defeat in Remus’s eyes,

“You can’t say that. The order won’t lose.”

Remus turned away and put his hands in his pockets,

“It’s written on the wall, Sirius. Accept it.”

Remus walked away and Sirius stood alone in the corridor.

Harry was listening to a group of Veelas, talking about politics and their aspirations linked with the new regime. He realized that they were more than just beautiful. They were highly intelligent beings. When the discussion was over, Voldemort led him to one of the couches placed around the hall,

“Take a break, Harry.”

Harry sat down and he felt his legs breathe out a sigh of relief. His feet were practically aching. Voldemort walked away and Harry leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes. He hadn’t seen Remus during their conversation with Sanguini. Meeting Remus was just a coincidence. He still wondered if what he had seen was true. He was beginning to doubt it. A familiar voice forced him to open his eyes,

“Hello, Harry.”

Harry looked up and he felt the breath knocked out of his body due to the shock.


	64. Chapter 64

Harry’s lips parted in surprise, as he stared up into Luna Lovegood’s protuberant eyes. He tried to say something but she rested a finger on his lips,

“You don’t have to say anything, Harry.”

Harry straightened up as Luna sat down beside him. A torrent of thoughts was rushing inside his head. Remus’s appearance was justified but Luna……why was she here? What could have brought her here?

Harry glanced sideways at her and noticed that she looked completely different. Her messy, straggly hair were replaced with sleek curls. She wasn’t wearing her butterbeer cap necklace or any of her odd jewelleries. Instead she wore a mother of pearl choker with matching earrings. Her usually messy clothes were replaced by an elegant black ball gown. This wasn’t the Luna that had been at Hogwarts. She couldn’t be the Luna that had been at the ministry when he had surrendered. She spoke and Harry felt oddly calmed by her dreamy voice,

“Take a deep breath, Harry. You’re feeling overwhelmed.”

Harry drew a deep breath and closed his eyes. He decided to ask the question that was bothering him the most,

“Are you Luna Lovegood?”

Luna remained unaffected by that question and spoke in a gentle voice,

“You already know that it’s me.”

Harry opened his eyes and looked into hers,

“Tell me…………What are you doing here?”

She smiled and took his hand in hers,

“I’m here to form an alliance, Harry. I’m representing the magical creatures that have been ignored by the light for far too long. My father still believes that he can make the magical world aware of their existence through his magazine but we believe otherwise. Lord Voldemort has done an extensive research on these magical creatures and he acknowledges them.”

Harry listened to Luna’s speech with an expression of utmost surprise,

“Luna………do you know what you’re saying.”

She smiled softly and squeezed his hand gently,

“I do know, Harry.”

Harry was rendered speechless again. He stood up and was about to walk away when Luna rested her hand on his shoulder,

“Congratulations, Harry.”

Harry wanted nothing more than to cry. He had surrendered for Luna as well that night. He felt that his efforts had been wasted. Harry walked away. He was just making his way through the crowd, smiling and nodding as he went, when suddenly he nearly collided with someone. Harry looked up and realized that it was a woman. Before she could say anything, Harry apologized,

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

He was about to walk away when he felt her hand on his back. As soon as she touched him, Harry felt an excruciating stinging pain in his back. Harry bit on the inside of his cheek to not scream out. It was like being whipped by Voldemort all over again. It took Harry all his strength to not keel over and scream out. He couldn’t let it show. He felt like he was back in that ice cream parlour in Paris again and Voldemort had just broken his wrist. She took away her hand and the pain vanished,

“Interesting. Did he whip you before or after?”

She purred. Harry calmed himself down. How did she know that he had been whipped and what did she mean by before after? He couldn’t let his confusion show, so he hid it. Harry replaced the smile on his face and turned around to face her, whoever she was. When he looked at her, he realized that she was actually very beautiful. Her black hair flowed down to her waist in a smooth manner. Her features were sharp and her eyes were as black as the night. She smiled and Harry saw her blood red lips pull back to reveal two distinct sharp fangs. She was a vampire.

“I should get going, Ma’am. It was a pleasure running into you.”

Her smile widened. Harry realized that she wasn’t done with him.

“You didn’t answer my question?”

Harry feigned ignorance,

“Which question?”

Her smile changed into an expression of irritation,

“Did he……….”

She was in the middle of the sentence when she suddenly stopped talking. Harry saw her staring behind him and he saw an odd fear in her eyes. Harry felt a kiss on his cheek and an arm around his waist. He knew that she had seen Voldemort,

“Harry, I prohibited you from talking to vampires.”

Harry stared at the horrified expression on her face and felt an odd sense of security,

“I ran into her, I was just apologizing.”

Voldemort chuckled,

“Diplomacy does not apply to harlots.”

Harry saw her cheeks burning red with humiliation and somewhere deep in his heart, he felt sorry for her. Voldemort steered him away from her and led him to a secluded corridor. After casting a privacy charm, he gripped Harry’s chin and made him look up,

“What did she do to you?”

Harry met Voldemort’s crimson gaze and showed him what had happened. When Voldemort was done watching, he released his chin and stepped back. Harry saw something akin to concern in his eyes mingled with fury but Harry knew that Voldemort wasn’t furious with him,

“Are you okay?”

Harry nodded and then asked,

“Who is she?”

Harry saw rage burning in Voldemort’s eyes,

“No one. She shall not bother you again.”

Harry knew that it was useless to ask any more questions so he asked for permission to re-join the crowd. Voldemort drew closer to him and kissed his lips briefly,

“I am not letting you out of my sight for the rest of the evening.”

Harry felt his arm snake around his waist again and he watched as Voldemort cancelled the privacy charm. Voldemort led him out of the corridor and back into the crowd of magical creatures.

Harry saw looks of envy, almost jealousy in most of the crowd. What were they jealous of? They were jealous of him being Voldemort’s spouse. If only they knew what being his spouse was really like, they would probably flee from Voldemort’s very shadow. Harry felt Voldemort’s grip tighten around his waist and he knew that he had read his thoughts.


	65. Chapter 65

Voldemort had just successfully negotiated a pact of alliance with the Goblins when he felt Harry’s exhaustion. He kissed Harry’s head softly and pulled him closer to him,

“Harry, just a little longer.”

A nearby Veela cooed,

“My my Lord Voldemort. I did not think you capable of such affection.”

Voldemort chuckled softly,

“He is my spouse. Is this not how spouses are supposed to be treated?”

The Veela beamed and sauntered away.

Harry wanted to scream out. This was not the way he was treated in private. Voldemort held a finger to his lips and chuckled again,

“There is no need for you to say anything at the moment.”

Voldemort was just leading him through the crowd when Luna Lovegood appeared in front of them,

“Lord Voldemort, may I have a word in private?”

Harry kept his shock in check. Had Luna just addressed Voldemort by his name? Harry stared at his feet. He wondered what Luna wanted to talk about in private. It had to be something about the alliance. Voldemort kept a tight hold on Harry’s waist,

“You may speak in front of Harry.”

She looked around the crowd and then her gaze met Harry’s,

“Can we proceed to somewhere we may not be overheard?”

Voldemort’s interest had peaked. The girl was a curious case. He nodded and they made their way to a corridor. Once there, Luna took out her wand and cast a privacy charm. Harry looked at her wand and the question slipped from his lips,

“How are you performing magic outside of Hogwarts?”

She looked at Harry and smiled,

“I broke the trace.”

It didn’t make sense to Harry but he still nodded. Voldemort addressed her,

“What do you wish to say?”

Luna focused her dreamy gaze on Voldemort and spoke,

“Harry is in danger tonight.”

Before Voldemort could speak, Harry spoke up,

“What?”

Voldemort raised his hand and Harry quieted down,

“What are you implying, Miss Lovegood?”

 Luna had a grave expression on her face,

“I am implying that the order is coming for Harry. You must take him away.”

Harry felt his world come crumbling down. He closed his eyes and tears just slipped down his cheeks. He could have been saved. He could have been free but Luna had just ruined everything by informing Voldemort of the order’s plans. Voldemort’s voice was cold when he spoke next,

“How did you acquire this information, Miss Lovegood?”

Luna answered simply,

“I saw it.”

Harry wanted to kill himself. He pulled himself away from Voldemort’s grip and leaned against the wall for support. His hands reached up to his hair and he just wanted to pull them out in despair. He slid down to the floor and closed his eyes. Why was everyone that he had trusted, betraying him?

Voldemort observed Harry’s condition and looked at Luna in an attempt to read her mind but he realized that he couldn’t. The barriers around her mind were impenetrable and he couldn’t help but admire it. The girl had more to her,

“Show me.”

Luna lowered her barrier and Voldemort saw the events unfolding. He saw that the order had raided the castle and taken Harry back. He saw Dumbledore kill Harry and destroy the ring. Voldemort immediately pulled out of Luna’s mind,

“Dumbledore knows….”

Luna looked at Harry and spoke in a low voice,

“I know as well. Harry will never be safe with the order again.”

“YOU ARE NOT THE JUDGE OF THAT!”

Harry had been listening to the conversation and yelled out. Voldemort ignored Harry’s outburst,

“You are a seer, Miss Lovegood. That is a very rare skill in the wizarding world. Perhaps you may consider forming an alliance with us.”

Voldemort took her hand and kissed it. Luna spoke,

“I shall consider it, but for now you must take Harry away from here.”

Harry wanted to scream, he wanted to shout. Luna’s betrayal was far too painful. Voldemort drew closer to Harry,

“Get up, Harry. We’re leaving.”

Harry didn’t move,

“I don’t want to go.”

Harry knew that he would have to. He stood up in resignation and looked scornfully at Luna,

“I don’t know what I did wrong to you, Luna. But I know it couldn’t have been bad enough for you to do this to me.”

Luna drew closer and kissed his forehead,

“You will understand the reasons behind my actions soon.”

Harry drew away from her and walked out of the corridor with Voldemort. They had just stepped out of the corridor when a bang resonated throughout the hall. Voldemort verbally cursed and gripped Harry’s arm tightly. The order was already outside the walls. The hall was an anti-apparition zone. They would have to reach the courtyard in order to apparate. Flying was out of the question because he had to take Harry with him.

This was a golden opportunity for him to rally the magical creatures under his command and affirm their alliance. Dumbledore was a fool to think that he could snatch Harry from him. The old coot had dug his own grave. Voldemort magnified his voice and addressed the magical creatures present there,

“The order wishes to attack us and take us all prisoner. They wish to usurp our authority to maintain their control. Will we allow ourselves to be defeated?”

Shouts of no echoed through the hall,

“Will we fight for our authority?”

A loud yes was shouted in unison,

“We shall fight and we shall take back what is ours.”

Voldemort pulled back his sleeve and pressed his wand to his dark mark. Harry knew that Voldemort was summoning every death eater he had. Harry struggled against Voldemort’s grip but Voldemort held on tight,

“I am not letting you go, Harry. You should be aware that your godfather is at my mercy. If you run, if you so much as try to escape, I shall kill him. You should also know that I shall get you back and when I do, you will regret ever trying to get away from me.”

Harry grew still,

“Will you attempt to escape, Harry?”

Harry shook his head,

“No, I won’t. I couldn’t escape even if I wanted to.”

Harry stared down at the ring on his finger and remembered the vows Voldemort had forced him to take. He had to be sensible.

Voldemort was pleased with Harry’s train of thought and released his grip on his arm. Now he just had to get Harry away from here.


	66. Chapter 66

Sirius was the first death eater to appear. He knelt before Voldemort and kissed the hem of his robes. Voldemort regarded him and spoke,

“Escort Harry to the watch tower. Your prime responsibility is to keep him out of harm’s way.”

Sirius nodded,

“I shall not disappoint you, my lord.”

Voldemort held Harry by the shoulders and spoke,

“Do not attempt to do anything unwise.”

Harry nodded silently. Voldemort kissed his forehead,

“You are mine, Harry. Do not forget that.”

Voldemort released Harry. Sirius wrapped an arm around Harry’s shoulder and led him away. Bangs continued to shake the castle walls. Harry felt his heart sinking. This would not end well. He knew it. Sirius rushed him up several flights of stairs until they reached the top of the watch tower. Once inside, Sirius bolted the door. He turned to Harry and led him to a chair,

“Sit down, Harry. Are you okay?”

Harry drew several deep breaths. He was trembling. Sirius bent down before Harry and held him close to his chest,

“What’s wrong, Harry? Tell me.”

Everything was wrong. So many innocent people were going to get killed, all because of him,

“Everything’s wrong, Sirius.”

Harry heard shouting from somewhere below. Had the death eaters arrived? He stood up and turned the direction of the telescope towards the courtyard and looked through it. He saw the night come alive with several colourful sparks flying in every direction. The death eaters were here and they had engaged the order in combat first. Harry tried to locate Dumbledore or anyone he knew but he couldn’t. All he could see was the haze of colours and spells flying everywhere.

Voldemort donned a death eater mask. The time had not yet come to reveal himself to the world. He looked around him and inhaled deeply, feeling the rush of power coursing through his veins. Dumbledore’s little siege would be an epic failure. He would make sure of it. But this siege had gained him the unconditional alliance of every magical creature. It was Dumbledore’s greatest failure

Voldemort pointed his wand at the door of the hall and cried out,

“We shall be victorious. Let us fight for our rights. CHARGE!!!!”

Voldemort blasted the door open and they charged out into the battle that was already taking place between the order and his death eaters. He effortlessly killed three men with a single wave of his wand. His gaze searched for Dumbledore but it seemed that the old man had just sent his lackeys to die. Voldemort walked through the battlefield, killing anyone that crossed his path or dared to challenge. His gaze scanning the faces of the corpses and comparing them to faces he had seen in Harry’s memories. So far, he hadn’t encountered anyone that was close to Harry. He wondered if Harry was watching.  

Harry watched flashes of green and knew that people were dying. He wanted to scream for it to stop. This was all meaningless. He was chained to Voldemort and no one could ever break those chains. Harry saw a Veela lying dead in the crowd. This wasn’t their battle either. They just wanted their rights. They were fighting because Voldemort had manipulated them into fighting for him. Harry looked for Voldemort in the courtyard but he couldn’t find him either. Harry wanted to stop watching. He wanted it to stop. The shouting and screaming was driving him crazy.

Sirius stood behind Harry and watched him as he watched the battle. He could tell by the trembling of Harry’s hands that he was deeply affected by it. Sirius wanted to pull Harry away from the telescope but he knew that Harry wouldn’t listen.

Voldemort had lost count of the people he had killed tonight. He smiled as he breathed in the sweet scent of death. How he had missed it. His gaze travelled over the corpses laying scattered on the ground. He noticed a Veela amongst them but didn’t feel any grief. They were dispensable beings.

Voldemort noticed several other creatures dead among the corpses. He observed the battleground and noticed that there was still a large number of order members fighting. He would have to pick up the pace. Voldemort saw a woman masterfully duelling with one of his death eaters. He waved his wand and killed her. As he walked ahead and passed her, he realized that he knew the woman from Harry’s memories. Nymphadora Tonks, she was an auror and incidentally Bellatrix’s niece. His smirk broadened as he imagined Harry’s reaction to the death.

Harry looked around the crowd, he froze as he saw bubble-gum pink hair in the crowd. It was Tonks. It had to Tonks. No one else had that kind of hair. She was duelling with a death eater and Harry couldn’t help but smile because she was clearly winning. Then suddenly out of nowhere a green flash of light appeared and Harry’s smile vanished as he watched Tonks collapse on the ground.

Harry felt grief constricting his throat. He wanted to scream but he couldn’t. He wanted to cry but no tears came. This was all because of him. He had to stop it. He just had to stop it. Harry’s knees finally gave in and he collapsed on the floor. As soon as his hands came in contact with the ground, a shockwave of blue rushed through the air, encircling everything and spreading out.

Sirius tried to rush towards Harry but he was forced backwards by the wave of blue that erupted from the floor. His head hit the wall and he slipped down to the ground. What was happening?

Voldemort had just walked a little distance from the dead woman when an upsurge of blue rushed over the crowd, separating the order from the death eaters and magical creatures. Voldemort observed as the upsurge formed a dome of gentle blue light around the castle. His crimson eyes scanned the area around him and realized that the order had been placed outside the dome. They were as fascinated by the dome as he was. He walked towards the bluish forcefield and placed his hand on it. It was pure magic and as he felt it deeper, he realized the source of it.

He saw the order member unsuccessfully attempting to break through the barrier. His smirk widened. The barrier would not break. He was certain because Harry had not created it to break. He had created it to protect his precious loved ones. Voldemort watched as the order disapparated. He touched the barrier again and it vanished into thin air. He turned towards the crowd of death eaters and the remaining magical creatures. After bringing as much sorrow in his voice as he could, he spoke,

“Many of our friends have perished here today. They shall live on in our memories. We shall avenge them. Victory is ours and it shall remain ours in the battles to come.”

The crowd cheered. Voldemort’s smirk widened behind the mask. He felt no sorrow. If anything, he was very pleased with the outcome. It was time to retrieve his Harry.


	67. Chapter 67

Sanguini sauntered over to Voldemort and spoke in a voice laced with venom,

“Where is your lovely spouse? He did not participate in the battle. Is his life more precious than my people’s?”

Voldemort smirked and spoke,

“Harry cast the barrier that bought us victory today. The order had us outnumbered. More of your people and my death eaters would have been killed if it hadn’t been for the barrier.”

Voldemort watched in satisfaction as Sanguini’s cheek reddened. Voldemort summoned Bellatrix,

“Make a list of all the deceased, that includes the order. Arrange for proper burials.”

Bellatrix bowed and vanished.

Voldemort consoled the Veelas on their losses and made his way up to the watch tower. As he climbed the stairs, he felt the sensation that something was extremely off. He hurried up the stairs. Sanguini and three death eaters at his back. They reached the door. Voldemort pushed the door open but realized that it was locked,

“Open up, Black.”

There was no response. Voldemort ordered one of his death eaters,

“Blow it open.”

The door was blown open with a loud bang. Voldemort stepped into the watch tower and his eyes found Harry lying on the floor, his knees drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped tight around his stomach and silently screaming. Voldemort gaze swept the room and he found Black unconscious against a wall. He strode towards Harry, bent down beside him and gathered him in his arms.

Harry had his eyes closed tightly and a broken cry escaped his lips. He wrapped his arm around him tightly and held him close to his chest. He ordered the nearest death eater in a deadly voice,

“Revive Black.”

The death eater scurried towards Black and revived him.

Sirius came to his senses and looked around. He jumped up to his feet and looked around the room. He had to help Harry. As soon as he stood up and looked around, his gaze found Harry in Voldemort’s arms. His head dropped as he saw the murderous glare in Voldemort’s eyes,

“My lord…………”

Voldemort raised his hand up to silence him,

“Get him out of my sight. I shall deal with him later.”

Sanguini stepped forward and touched Harry’s cheek,

“Lord Voldemort……...”

Sanguini broke off in mid-sentence. The revelation too sorrowful to say out loud.

Voldemort felt Harry’s body growing limp. He drew out his wand and pointed it towards Harry’s stomach. He hoped against hope that it would glow blue again but it did not. Harry’s stomach glowed a bloody red.

Voldemort felt a twinge of emotion. Pain and sorrow. He waved the emotions away. He felt no sorrow. His hands moved through Harry’s hair and he wiped the tears away from Harry’s cheeks.

Sanguini watched the whole affair with grief. He regretted the statement that he had made earlier. The loss of an heir weighed more than any other lives lost. He rested his hand on Voldemort’s shoulder and whispered a consolation.

Voldemort stood up and carried Harry in his arms. He diverted his thoughts to how to make the most of the matter. The heir was gone. It was obvious that Harry had depleted his magical core while casting the barrier, that combined with the stress had caused the miscarriage. But he could make the most of this. He only had to depict the dead heir as a martyr of this battle. That would deepen the alliance with the magical creatures and add a more personal touch to it.

Voldemort walked down the steps to the main hall. He repressed a grin as he realized that he wouldn’t have to restrain his sadistic desires around Harry anymore. Voldemort entered the hall and every gaze was trained on him.

Sanguini entered the hall beside him. He observed how every eye in the hall regarded Voldemort and the limp form of Harry in his arms. He knew Voldemort would never speak of his loss. His ego would not permit it. He decided to speak,

“The greatest loss that we have suffered tonight is perhaps the loss of Lord Voldemort’s heir.”

The air of grief that had been lingering in the hall suddenly grew condensed. Voldemort stepped forward and made his way to the nearest couch. He laid Harry down on it and kissed his forehead. His hand caressed Harry’s cheek softly. He could treat him as he wished again.

Voldemort drew away from Harry and addressed the crowd,

“We shall celebrate our victory after we mourn our losses. There is much work to be done. The order has left their dead with us. An unwise decision on their part but we value every magical being and the honour of the dead shall not be desecrated. I have made a decision and I hope that you shall agree with me on it. I have decided to hold a joint funeral. An event where we can grieve the dead together with the order.”

Shouts of protest arose from the crowd but Voldemort held up his hand,

“I understand your sorrow. I am experiencing it as I have lost someone far too close to my heart as well. My decision is based upon my desire for us to have the upper hand over the order.”

The protests died down as the crowd began weighing the options. Voldemort spoke again,

“I have left the final decision to you my fellow allies.”

Voldemort knew that they would agree. They had no other choice. He was going to use this joint funeral as his launching ceremony. It was time to step out into the world and reveal himself. Another purpose of this event would be to rub salt in the order’s wounds by parading Harry as his spouse. It would shatter their hopes and he was looking forwards to seeing their expressions of shock and betrayal.

Voldemort picked up on heated discussions taking place in the crowd. They would soon decide in favour of his decision. He walked towards the couch on which Harry was laid down on and sat down beside him. His hand made its way to Harry’s hair and combed his fingers through them. He felt the craving to pull on them and make Harry moan out in pain but he restrained himself. He just had to hold himself back for a bit longer. After that there would no restraints and no boundaries. His eyes scanned Harry’s serene state and spoke in a barely audible whisper,

“You have a few hours of peace left, Harry. I hope you savor them.”


	68. Chapter 68

Voldemort took Harry back to the castle as soon as the magical creatures had finalized their decision. He laid Harry down on the bed and pulled his head in his lap. Voldemort summoned a flask and forced its contents down his throat. The potion was to get rid of the remains of the dead child inside him.

After a few minutes, Harry’s hands immediately flew to his stomach and he began to scream in agony. Voldemort gripped Harry by his hair and held him still. The silence of the castle was shattered by Harry’s agonizing cries as he writhed unconsciously in pain. Voldemort laughed maniacally and held onto Harry’s hair. He had truly missed this. Harry’s screams were truly delicious. Harry writhed in agony for several more minutes, after which his screams began to gradually die down and his body grew limp. Voldemort smiled in satisfaction. He knew that the potion had done its job. He took Harry’s head out of his lap and rested it on the pillow. He pulled the covers over Harry and disapparated.

Harry woke up with a start and half expected himself to find himself back at the watch tower. When he opened his eyes, and took in his surroundings, he realized that he was back in his bedroom. No, this wasn’t his bedroom. This was Voldemort’s bedroom. Harry sat up straight and clutched his stomach as he felt a dull pain still present there. He remembered everything that had happened and a cry escaped his lips. He had watched Tonks die. How many others had died? He buried his face in his hands and howled out in pain. He remembered Tonks, her jokes, her smile…… He couldn’t bear it.

Voldemort appeared in the room silently and observed Harry. He stepped closer to the bed and sat down beside Harry. Harry felt Voldemort’s presence. It had happened all because of Voldemort. Why couldn’t Voldemort just go to hell.

Voldemort listened to the thoughts calmly and then grabbed Harry by the hair, forcing him to meet his gaze,

“Harry, I am not to blame for the order’s foolishness. They dug their own graves.”

A cry escaped Harry’s lips and tears slipped down Harry’s cheeks. Voldemort smiled and tsked,

“You can cry all you want at the funeral.”

Harry’s hands moved up to his head to free his hair from Voldemort’s grasp. He closed his eyes and looked away from Voldemort. Voldemort grasped his chin and forced Harry to face him,

“Open your eyes, Harry. That is an order.”

Harry opened his eyes and looked up at Voldemort. Voldemort smiled and spoke,

“Good. Last night, we emerged victorious, Harry. I feel pride in stating that your barrier won us the battle. It was truly remarkable.”

Harry’s gaze widened and his jaw dropped,

“What barrier?”

Voldemort laughed and his grip tightened on his jaw,

“I knew that you would not remember. You unleashed your magical energy last night in an event of emotional frenzy, Harry. Your magical core is still replenishing from the event.”

Fear clouded Harry’s mind. He had gone against Voldemort’s orders which explained Voldemort’s rough treatment,

“I didn’t…………”

Voldemort rested his finger on Harry’s lips and effectively silenced him,

“I do not want to hear your explanation.”

Harry stopped trying to pry Voldemort’s hands away from his hair and let his hands fall to his sides. He spoke,

“I tried my best.”

Voldemort’s grip relaxed on his chin,

“I know, Harry. You were the perfect little diplomat last night. Tell me something, Harry. How many people shook hands with you last night? How many times were you touched?”

Harry felt Voldemort’s hand release his chin completely and he felt it caress his cheek,

“I don’t know. I wasn’t counting.”

Voldemort’s grip tightened on Harry’s hair and he pulled them back. A cry escaped Harry’s lips,

“I do not enjoy it when you allow other people to touch you, Harry. You are MINE!!!”

Tears slipped down Harry’s eyes as his scalp stung from the continuous abuse. He spoke with difficulty,

“I did it because you told me to.”

Another cry escaped Harry’s lips as Voldemort pulled his head back further and he was forced to stare up at the ceiling,

“You allowed that slut to touch you, Harry.”

Harry knew Voldemort was referring to the red-haired vampire,

“I………I didn’t allow her to touch me.”

Another cry escaped Harry’s lips,

“You did. She touched your back, Harry. You showed me your memory.”

Harry couldn’t speak. He felt several hair part from his scalp. Voldemort continued talking,

“You need to be punished for that, so that you will not allow anyone else to touch you.”

In the blink of an eye, Voldemort had Harry laid face down on the bed,

“How do you propose I should punish you, Harry?”

Harry felt his body freezing up with terror. He struggled with as much strength as he had left in his body,

“Please……. don’t. It won’t happen again.”

Voldemort vanished Harry’s shirt with the flick of his wand,

“I know how to punish you, Harry.”

As soon as Harry felt the cool air strike his bare back, he shuddered and trembled. Harry felt the black restraints snake around his wrists and ankles. He wanted to scream out as the fear of the upcoming pain tore at his heart.

Voldemort looked at Harry’s bare back and licked his lips. The whip marks were fading. He didn’t want anything to mark that perfect back permanently but he had to hear Harry scream. Violating him was not an option since Harry was still recovering from the miscarriage.

Voldemort summoned a candle and lit it. Slowly and carefully, he dripped the first drops over Harry’s shoulder and Harry screamed.

Harry lay still. The time he waited for Voldemort to find a suitable means to torture him was torture in itself. After what seemed like an eternity, Harry felt something hot drip over his shoulder. Harry screamed as the spot began to burn steadily. He felt more of the hot liquid being dripped over his back and he screamed at the top of his lungs as the burning increased. He struggled against the restraints with all his strength and screamed more.

Voldemort felt sweet, unadulterated pleasure as he listened to Harry screams of agony. It was music to his ears and he had missed it. He wanted to listen to them all night long but he doubted that Harry’s mental state would tolerate a night full of torture. He tilted the burning candle over Harry’s back and dripped a little more wax. He had to be careful as to not burn Harry too badly.

Harry couldn’t feel anything other than the excruciating burning sensation. It was too much. His throat was raw from screaming and he knew that if he screamed anymore his throat would tear. But he didn’t know what else to do instead of screaming. Another downpour of that syrupy hot liquid left Harry writhing and screaming worse than before.   

Voldemort looked at the candle. It was half gone. He turned it off and placed it on the side table. Harry had passed out at some point and his screams had grown from ear piercing to dull to barely audible. He sat down on the edge of the bed and traced his finger over the pattern that the dried-up wax had made over Harry’s back. He licked his lips and mentally admired himself for his handiwork.

A perfect dark mark was embossed on Harry’s back.


	69. Chapter 69

Voldemort returned to the room after several hours. His gaze took in the sight of Harry, lying face down on the bed and his back exposed. He vanished his robes, rolled up the sleeves of his silk shirt and made his way to the bathroom. Voldemort turned on the tap of hot water and began filling the bath tub with it. While the bath tub was being filled, he stepped out of the bathroom and revived Harry.

Harry felt himself return to consciousness. His brain registered the dull burning sensation in his back and he moaned out in pain. He felt the stiffness of the skin on his back and felt as if it was still burning. Voldemort vanished the restraints and turned Harry over. Harry opened his eyes and his gaze met Voldemort’s. He remembered the night’s events and closed his eyes,

“Get up, Harry. You’re going to take a bath.”

Tears slipped down Harry’s cheeks and he asked,

“How much more of your torture will I have to endure? Last night I did everything you asked me to do and you still punished me for something I wasn’t responsible for. I didn’t ask her to touch me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Voldemort wiped the tears away,

“Look at me, Harry.”

Harry opened his eyes and met Voldemort’s gaze. Voldemort spoke,

“You once asked me what you were to me. I have thought on that, Harry. Our relationship is unlike any other. We are far above ordinary humans and hence our relationship is much more complex. You are well aware of the fact that I enjoy torturing you and that shall not change anytime soon. I wish for you to grow accustomed to it, Harry.”

“You’re forgetting that I’m only sixteen. I can’t…………”

Voldemort rested his finger to Harry’s lips and effectively silenced him,

“I have not forgotten. Harry. In some way, you have already grown habituated to my transgressions.”

Harry looked away. Voldemort was right. No matter how badly Voldemort hurt him, he still managed to wake up and be stubborn. He had grown used to this life. No………...he couldn’t. This wasn’t his life. Voldemort cupped his face in his hands,

“Accept it, Harry. For your sake.”

Harry looked away. Voldemort immediately scooped him up in his arms. Before he knew what was happening, his arms instinctively wrapped around Voldemort’s neck and held on to him tight. He realized what was going on and immediately let go of Voldemort. He felt his cheeks heating up with embarrassment. Voldemort carried him to the prepared bath and set him down in the luke warm water. Harry felt his pyjama bottoms vanish as soon as his body was immersed in the layer of scented soap. Voldemort sat down on the edge of the bath tub and summoned a soft sponge,

“Turn around Harry. I have to rub your back.”

Harry hesitated and then spoke,

“I can rub it myself.”

Voldemort smirked,

“I am certain that you shall not be able to rub off the wax on your own.”

Harry’s eyes widened with shock,

“Wax?”

Voldemort’s grin grew wide,

“I thought you were aware that it was wax.”

Harry turned around silently and exposed his back to Voldemort. There wasn’t anything he could say or do so it was better to let Voldemort do whatever he wanted. Voldemort rubbed the wax off Harry’s back as gently as possible. Harry bit down on his knuckles to stop himself from moaning out in pain again. Once the wax was removed, Voldemort saw that the dark mark remained on Harry’s back in the form of red abrasions.

Voldemort vanished the sponge and told Harry to complete his bath. He walked out of the bathroom. Harry finished his bath and stepped out of the bath tub. He grabbed a fresh pair of boxers and put them on. After wrapping himself in a bath robe and stepped into the room. He saw Voldemort sitting in his arm chair and reading a newspaper.

Voldemort put away the newspaper and picked up a jar from the side table He looked up at Harry and asked,

“Have you dried yourself off properly?”

Harry nodded silently,

“Remove the bath robe and sit down.”

Harry felt relieved that he was wearing boxers. He shrugged off the bath robe and sat down on the bed. Voldemort opened the jar and carefully applied the salve to Harry’s back. Harry felt the burning return with a renewed resolve to torment him. He clutched the covers tightly and a moan escaped his lips unwillingly,

“Just a bit more, Harry.”

Voldemort went about applying the salve and then conjured a loose pair of robes. He pulled the robes over Harry’s bare torso,

“Relax.”

Harry drew a deep breath and released his hold on the covers. The question burning in his heart came to his lips,

“Why do you always heal me?”

Voldemort kissed Harry’s head softly and replied,

“I have answered that question countless times.”

Harry turned towards Voldemort and spoke in a low voice,

“Please tell me one more time.”

Voldemort drew closer to Harry and rested his forehead against his,

“I will not allow you to die.”

Harry closed his eyes and breathed in Voldemort’s breath,

“I feel so broken.”

Voldemort wrapped an arm around Harry’s waist and spoke in a voice barely above a whisper,

“And yet, you are not broken.”

Voldemort pulled away from Harry and resumed his newspaper reading. Harry stood up and asked,

“What should I do?”

Voldemort spoke without looking away from the newspaper,

“Write a letter.”

Harry felt a wave of confusion consume him,

“A letter?”

Voldemort put away the newspaper and fixed Harry with a piercing glare,

“Yes, Harry. A letter. Have you never written a letter before?”

Harry looked down in his lap and spoke,

“I have.”

“Then you should know all about how to write it. I want you to write a letter in which you shall invite the order to the funeral of Nymphadora Tonks and the other order members that perished last night.”

Harry fell back on the bed and buried his face in his hands. Tears steamed up into his eyes and he wiped them away,

“I can’t do that.”

Voldemort tsked,

“Refusal is not an option. The letter should be formal. You are my spouse and you shall address yourself as such within the letter. I think I have provided you with very clear instructions. Start writing now, Harry.”

Voldemort summoned a writing desk and signalled Harry to begin working.

Harry stood up from the bed and took a seat behind the desk. He pulled the roll of parchment towards him and dipped the quill in ink. He stopped with the quill tip suspended over the parchment. What was he supposed to write?


	70. Chapter 70

Harry sat on the desk with his head buried in crumpled up pieces of parchments that littered the desk. He wanted to bang his head against the table but decided that Voldemort wouldn’t appreciate it. Voldemort’s voice brought him out of his reverie,

“Harry, are you finished writing?”

Harry didn’t miss the note of irritation and sarcasm in Voldemort’s voice. He lifted his head up from the table and looked up at Voldemort,

“I can’t do it. I’m trying but I just don’t know what to write. Why can’t you just write it?”

 Harry felt Voldemort’s vice like grip on his shoulders and he realized that Voldemort was behind him. Harry resisted the urge to turn and simply stared down at the table. Harry felt Voldemort’s breath tickle his neck and he heard him whisper,

“I believe that since you are unable to write a letter, we should go and invite them personally.”

Harry felt a wave of terror go down his spine. He froze completely. He felt Voldemort squeeze his shoulders tightly and he gasped in pain,

“Get dressed, Harry.”

The robes slipped down his shoulders and landed on the floor. He spoke in a low voice,

“I’ll write it, please.”

Voldemort kissed his neck and breathed in his scent,

“I know that you shall not be able to write it. Get dressed this instance.”

Harry felt the threat in Voldemort’s voice but he had to avoid a confrontation with the order at any cost,

“I am sorry. I’ll try harder. Just give me one more…………….”

Voldemort’s finger came to rest on his lips and Harry grew silent,

“No more chances. Get up, Harry, before I lose my patience.”

Voldemort stepped back. Harry stood up hesitantly. His heart threatening to beat out of his ribcage. He was terrified. He couldn’t handle any more acting. He was about to fall when Voldemort held him up by his forearms,

“Do not play weak, Harry.”

Harry held his head in his hands and staggered. Voldemort continued to hold onto him.

Voldemort observed Harry and he knew that Harry wasn’t faking it. His proposition had affected Harry in the way he had desired. He pulled Harry to the bed and made him sit down. He conjured a glass of water to Harry lips and tilted it. Harry drank some and then pushed the glass away. Voldemort vanished it and spoke,

“Do you require a calming draught, Harry?”

He remembered how Sirius had force fed him the draught and shook his head to say no. Voldemort chuckled and Harry realized that he must have read his thoughts,

“Your godfather saved you from a mental breakdown. You should be grateful.”

Harry stared down in his lap emptily. He knew that he would have to do it now that Voldemort had said it. So, he decided to just get it over with before Voldemort got irritated or increased the penalty. After finalizing his decision Harry stood up from the bed and walked to the wardrobe. He picked out a pair of plain black robes and set them on the bed. He grabbed the first dress shirt and jeans that came in front of him and got dressed.

Voldemort smirked at how wonderfully Harry had learned to follow his orders. But Harry still had a long way to go. He changed his own robes and admired Harry’s appearance. Harry looked at himself in the mirror and moved the comb through his messy locks. Harry stared at his reflection, surprised at how well the locks yielded. He put on his socks and shoes and felt dread pooling in his stomach again.

Voldemort drew closer to Harry and kissed his head,

“Do I need to remind you of your role?”

Harry shook his head to say no and spoke,

“Can I play devastated spouse today?”

Voldemort chuckled softly and kissed his head again,

“You do not have to smile today.”

Harry relaxed at that. The last thing he had wanted was forced to smile while delivering the news of Tonks death. Tonks…………………Why wasn’t he grieving her? What was wrong with him? Had he lost all his emotions? No……...all his emotions were still there. He could feel them boiling in his chest. Voldemort snapped his fingers and Harry started,

“Shall we leave then?”

Harry asked,

“Where are we going?”

Voldemort patted Harry’s shoulder and spoke in a gentle voice,

“Hogwarts.”

Hogwarts…...It didn’t make sense. How would anyone allow Voldemort to enter Hogwarts? There was another question burning in his mind and he spoke it out loud,

“Are we going alone?”

Voldemort spoke in a voice full of humour,

“Do you feel intimidated by my death eaters, Harry?”

Harry shook his head to say no. Voldemort’s smirk widened and continued talking,

“They shall not be going. I want this visit to have a more personal touch to it.”

Harry relaxed and felt his heartbeat slowing down. It would just be them,

“Are you ready to go, Harry?”

Harry nodded and spoke in a low voice,

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Voldemort laughed softly and gripped Harry’s arm tightly. Harry felt the familiar uncomfortable sensation of side along apparition and the appeared in a green meadow. After finding his balance, Harry took in his bearings and felt overwhelmed as he saw Hogwarts standing at a distance in all its majestic glory. Harry drew in a deep breath. His lungs taking in the familiar Hogsmeade air greedily.

He realized that he had longed for it…...this air……. this view. He felt a warm sensation in the pit of his stomach. He looked sideways at Voldemort and saw his features practically glowing with glee. He wanted to ask Voldemort if he felt the way he was feeling right now but couldn’t find the words. Voldemort spoke in a low murmur,

“I do feel the way you do, Harry. We shall reside here permanently very soon.”

Harry took in the quaint view and felt tears well up in his eyes,

“How can you even dream of shattering this calm?”

Voldemort’s arm snaked around Harry’s waist and he whispered in his ear,

“The castle demands to be freed. You shall see.”


	71. Chapter 71

Harry felt his heartbeat racing. The closer they drew to the castle, the more terrified he grew of the prospect of being in close proximity to the order. How was he going to face them? He wouldn’t even be able to meet their gaze. He had fallen and there was no way for him to ever regain his place. They had reached the huge iron doors. Voldemort outstretched his hand to touch the gate but the gate swung open even before he could touch it.

Harry stared in amazement at the door. He hadn’t expected the gate to open. Not for Voldemort at least. Voldemort smiled. Harry felt the waves of pure joy radiating off Voldemort and he thought it odd…...it was too human. Voldemort was anything but human. Voldemort stepped inside the gates as effortlessly as if he was walking into his own property. Why weren’t the wards stopping him? What was going on? Harry followed and felt another strange thing. He felt the ground underneath his feet thrumming with energy………...magic……….it was magic. Why hadn’t he felt it before?

Harry’s jaw dropped in awe as he saw the spectacle unfolding before him. Voldemort made his way through the castle grounds and flowers……. the most stunning kind trailed in his wake. They blossomed wherever Voldemort stepped. Harry bent down to observe one closer and realized that he had never seen something so beautiful before. Harry touched the delicate petal softly and felt a rush go down his spine.

He realized that the ground wasn’t thrumming with magic. It was happiness. It was the joy of reunion. The castle was welcoming Voldemort.

Voldemort paused and saw Harry bent beside one of the flowers. He knew that Harry had realized what the flowers meant. He could tell by the look on Harry’s face,

“Harry, are you planning on staring at a flower for the entirety of the visit.”

Harry snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Voldemort. He observed that Voldemort was glowing in an almost ethereal fashion. His handsome features were vivified ten folds. Harry stood up and walked towards him and the closer he drew towards Voldemort, the more power he felt radiating from Voldemort. He felt terrified and mystified at the same time. He wanted to ask the question burning in his mind but he couldn’t speak. Being near Voldemort was making him breathless.

Voldemort saw the fear mingled with curiosity in Harry’s eyes. He saw how Harry was affected by his aura and felt immense pleasure in it. He wrapped his arm around Harry’s waist, kissed his forehead and whispered in his ear,

“Breathe.”

Harry finally managed to get the words out,

“Why didn’t you take over Hogwarts sooner if the castle loves you so much?”

Voldemort laughed and Harry felt the air around him laugh as well,

“I am still not here to take over.”

Harry felt weak kneed from all the power pulsing around him. It was petrifying him. Voldemort’s statement about the castle demanding freedom was starting to make sense now. Voldemort could defeat the order single handed without even lifting a finger then why had he recruited Draco to infiltrate the castle? It wasn’t making sense.

Harry felt a flask being held to his lips. Harry looked at the contents and recognized it as a calming draught. He should have taken this earlier when Voldemort had first offered it to him. Harry parted his lips and Voldemort tipped the content of the flask down his throat.

Instantly Harry felt his mind and body relaxing. He could focus better now. Voldemort smiled and spoke in a gentle voice,

“Shall we get going now, Harry?”

Harry nodded and walked beside Voldemort to the main courtyard. Harry eyes trailed up to the great oak doors and he closed his eyes, imagining the first time he had seen them, the first time he had seen them open to unravel the magnificent, glorious world that they held inside. Harry heard the familiar clamour of locks opening inside and the door swung open. Voldemort was already walking inside and Harry followed suite. He found it odd that no one was here or maybe they were unaware.

 Voldemort stood in the middle of the entrance and pointed his wand at the floor. Immediately Harry felt that unfamiliar rush of happiness burn through his body again. A loud bang resonated through the hall and Harry felt his ears ringing from the sound. Harry’s gaze landed on the floor, which was flooded by gems, red, green, blue and yellow. He realized that the house point hour glasses had been shattered.

Harry heard running footsteps and he looked up at the marble staircase to see Dumbledore standing there. He was dressed in midnight blue robes, his white beard shimmering in the torch light, his face an expressionless mask. Harry saw other order members appear behind him. He saw the puzzled faces of Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout take their place beside Dumbledore. Behind them, Harry saw Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Bill and Remus. Harry watched their puzzled expressions turn from perplexity to shock to grief.  Mrs. Weasley cried out his name and was about to run towards him when Harry saw Mr. Weasley hold her back

Voldemort stepped behind Harry and pulled him into a possessive hold. Harry fought back tears and stood still. Voldemort finally spoke,

“It has been a long time Dumbledore.”

Dumbledore strode down the stairs casually and spoke,

“Hello, Tom.”

Dumbledore’s gaze swept towards Harry and he smiled benignly,

“Hello, Harry. How are you?”

Harry smiled back despite his aching, bleeding heart and replied,

“I’m fine, Professor.”

Harry realized how smooth his voice sounded. Either he was getting good at acting or the calming draught was really working. Harry felt Voldemort’s grip tighten around him and he heard him speak,

“Is it polite to keep your guests standing, Dumbledore?”

Harry detected the undertone of sarcasm in Voldemort’s voice but Dumbledore seemed to have ignored it completely and continued smiling,

“It depends on who the guests are, Tom, and it depends on the purpose of their visit.”

Harry felt the tension between Voldemort and Dumbledore and decided that he would have to say something,

“Professor, we’ve come to talk.”

Dumbledore considered that. Harry watched his smile widen and his eyes twinkle,

“Why didn’t you just say so, my boy? Let us proceed to my office. After all it is impolite to keep the guests standing.”

Dumbledore clapped his hands together and made his way up the stairs again. Harry felt confused and he saw his own confusion reflected in the faces of everyone standing on top of the stairs. Had Dumbledore really gone senile? Harry heard Voldemort’s soft voice in his ear,

“So far your performance is impeccable. Keep it up, Harry.”

Harry wasn’t sure how long he could keep it up.


	72. Chapter 72

An awkward silence filled Dumbledore’s office. Harry and Voldemort sat in the two arm chairs facing Dumbledore across the desk. The other order members were standing against the walls and watching the whole proceeding with abated breaths. Harry found it strange that no one spoke. Dumbledore’s smile hadn’t left his face for a second and Harry wondered why Dumbledore was smiling so much. Surely, he knew about Tonk’s demise. Harry realized that Voldemort wanted him to do the talking so he spoke and broke the awkward silence,

“Professor, we’re here to inform you of………….”

He broke down in mid-sentence. He could feel his heart weeping and he felt those tears steam up to his eyes. He couldn’t continue the sentence but he knew he had to,

“We’re here to inform you of Nymphadora Tonk’s demise and the demise of several other order members. And we wish to invite you to the funeral.”

Dumbledore’s smile didn’t falter and Harry felt anger overwhelming him. Before he could stop himself, he had stood up and smacked his hands on the table,

“HOW CAN YOU NOT BE AFFECTED? YOU SENT THOSE PEOPLE THERE TO DIE AND YOU’RE SITTING HERE SMILING LIKE NOTHING’S HAPPENED.”

Harry realized that he had yelled it out and he felt tears streaming down his cheeks. Harry wiped them away immediately. He was conscious of the fact that every eye was trained on him. Harry closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. The calming draught wasn’t working. When he opened them again he saw that Dumbledore was still smiling. Harry was about to say something else when Dumbledore spoke,

“They died because of you, my boy.”

Harry’s eyes widened and he felt pain, unimaginable, agonizing pain. It wasn’t physical.......it was mental and Harry wanted to die on the spot. Harry slumped back in his seat and wanted to scream out. Why wasn’t Voldemort saying anything? Was he testing him? He was testing him. Voldemort must have foreseen these events. Harry knew he had to calm himself down. He had to act rationally. Harry raised his hand and showed off his ring,

“I don’t want to be saved anymore, Professor.”

Dumbledore’s smile widened and Harry saw something flicker in his eyes at the sight of the ring. When Dumbledore spoke again, his tone was pleasant as if he was discussing the weather,

“This is a beautiful ring, Harry. Wherever did you procure it?”

Was Dumbledore playing dumb? Harry shook his head and spoke up,

“I’m married.”

Harry heard gasps from the order members present in the room. The first sign they had shown of their presence. Dumbledore spoke again,

“Who is the lucky lady, Harry?”

Harry felt heat rise to his cheeks. He was blushing. He mentally begged Voldemort to intervene. Harry never thought he would feel relief wash over him on hearing Voldemort’s voice,

“Harry is my spouse.”

The first sound he heard was of panic. He looked around and the sight made him rise to his feet. Mrs. Weasley had fainted. He tried not to feel anything. Forcing all his emotions deep inside, he spoke,

“It is true and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Harry felt Voldemort’s arm wrap around his waist and Harry leaned into the touch to emphasize his point. Dumbledore had risen to his feet as well and stepped away from the desk,

“Do you love him, Tom?”

Harry looked up at Voldemort’s face and saw a faint smile tugging at his lips,

“Love is nothing. There are bonds that are stronger than love and Harry and I share those bonds.”

Like the bonds of pain, Harry thought. Dumbledore stared out at the window, admiring something that no one else could see and then he spoke,

“We shall attend the funeral on one condition.”

Voldemort smirked,

“You are in no position to be setting conditions.”

Dumbledore ignored Voldemort’s comment and spoke again,

“We shall attend the funeral if Harry kisses you.”

Harry was the first to exclaim,

“What???”

Harry felt Voldemort’s grip tighten around his waist and Harry realized his mistake. Voldemort was already speaking,

“You really are growing senile, old man. We are leaving now, Harry.”

Voldemort was leading Harry out of the office when Dumbledore spoke again,

“Turn around, Harry.”

Harry did and he found Dumbledore with his wand pointed directly at him. Harry saw the sad expression on his face and he heard him say the words,

“It is for the greater good, Harry.”

Harry saw a flash of green light exit Dumbledore’s wand and rush towards him. He closed his eyes in anticipation of his oncoming death. He had never expected to die at Dumbledore’s hands. The betrayal was too much to live with. Harry felt tears rushing down his cheeks. He heard a bang but didn’t feel anything. The curse should have hit him by now. Harry opened his eyes steadily and saw a brick wall in front of him. He regarded the wall with wonder.

He looked around and saw that he was still in Dumbledore’s office. He noticed the horror-struck faces of the order and realized that they were equally shocked by Dumbledore’s move. Harry felt Voldemort’s arms wrap around him and he unconsciously buried his face in his chest. Voldemort kissed Harry’s head softly and held him close.

Voldemort felt triumph rushing through his veins. Dumbledore had exposed his true self to Harry and his precious order and now victory was his. He had gained more from this visit then he had ever hoped for and he had Harry to thank for that.

Voldemort touched the wall with the tip of his wand and whispered thank you. The castle had protected Harry. His embrace tightened around Harry. He had nearly………… No, he would not think about that. Why was he so terrified of the thought of losing Harry? He tried reassuring himself that it was the shard of his soul inside Harry that he was terrified of losing but he wasn’t convinced. Harry had become more than a horcrux to him. He was certain of it. Harry had become his.


	73. Chapter 73

Harry could practically taste the betrayal. He could feel it burning his insides. He wept in agony and wished that Dumbledore’s spell had killed him. He had never wanted to die more than he did now. Voldemort’s voice brought him out of his misery,

“Harry, I will not allow you to die.”

Harry realized that he was currently leaning on Voldemort for support. The arms holding him up on his feet were Voldemort’s. Harry drew away immediately and wiped away the tears. He had ruined the act and he was well aware of the fact that it would have repercussions. Harry felt Voldemort kiss his forehead and he heard him whisper,

“Do not worry about the act.”

Harry wasn’t reassured. He looked around at the order members and looked towards Voldemort again, mentally asking him for permission to talk to them. Voldemort shook his head and spoke,

“You shall be allowed to talk to them at the funeral.”

Harry accepted defeat and then stared at the wall that hid Dumbledore from view. He wanted to say something…...anything………but nothing came to mind. Instead he said,

“I’ll see you at the funeral, professor.”

Voldemort snaked his arm around Harry’s waist and led him out of the office and down the spiral staircase. They had just stepped on the seventh floor when Harry’s heart stopped beating. He stopped in his tracks as he saw the grief-stricken faces of Ron, Hermione, Neville, Fred, George and Ginny standing in front of him. It seemed as if he had seen them ages ago. He felt older, more mature. He felt as if he had spent lifetimes away from them. He had given himself up for them. Harry saw tears rushing down Hermione’s and Ginny’s eyes and he saw Ron trying to comfort them both. He saw the twins look at each other, as if passing a secret message among themselves and wondered what they were thinking. Neville was leaning against the wall and lost in some deep thought.

Harry looked up at Voldemort and he knew that he didn’t want him to talk to them yet. Voldemort led him away from them and soon they stood in the grounds again. Voldemort moved his hand in the pockets of his robes and Harry heard a soft clinking like as if Voldemort was carrying several glass bottles in his robes. Harry saw an expression of utmost joy on Voldemort’s face and he decided to ask,

“What do you have in your pockets?”

Voldemort’s smirk widened and he spoke out one word,

“Memories.”

Memories…….it didn’t make any sense. Harry knew that Voldemort wouldn’t tell him anything more than that so it was useless to ask. They made their way across the ground and out of the gates. Voldemort gripped Harry’s arm and they apparated.

They appeared in a serene grassland. Harry looked around and saw several death eaters at work there. He realized with a pang that this must be the burial site. The death eaters stopped working at the sight of Voldemort and rushed towards him to kiss his feet. Lucius Malfoy appeared with Draco on his side. They both knelt and kissed Voldemort’s feet,

“I presume that everything is going smoothly, Lucius?”

Lucius Malfoy bowed his head and spoke,

“Everything shall be ready by tomorrow, my lord.”

Voldemort’s joy seemed to increase. Harry was truly beginning to wonder what was making him so happy. It definitely wasn’t anything good. Voldemort turned towards Harry and spoke,

“I have some matters to discuss with Lucius. Draco, get Harry something to eat and show him around.”

Draco looked at Harry for a minute and then nodded,

“Yes, my lord.”

Draco led Harry away from Voldemort and they moved towards a white tent placed on the corner of the grassland. They entered the tent and Harry realized that it was enormous inside, ten times bigger than the tent, the Weasleys had gotten at the Quidditch Tournament. Draco led him to a table laden with all manners of snacks,

“What will you like to have, my lord?”

Harry stared incredulously at Draco for a few minutes and then spoke out,

“Did he order you to address me like that?”

Harry saw Draco’s cheek redden and he replied,

“Yes.”

Harry felt that it was unfair,

“You called me Harry, the last time we talked so what’s changed?”

Harry saw something akin to anger in Draco’s eyes,

“You became his spouse.”

Harry didn’t understand that. It wasn’t that big of a deal. He voiced that thought,

“It’s not that big of a deal. I think it’s a step backwards rather than a step forward.”

Draco’s eyes widened in shock,

“Not that big of a deal………are you out of your mind, P……”

He caught himself before he could say his name and rephrased the sentence,

“You are his spouse. You’re royalty now.”

Harry looked away from Draco. Royalty…….no……. he was worse than a prisoner. It was useless to argue with Draco. He walked over to an armchair and sat down. His head was spinning from everything that had happened. Tears rose up to his eyes as he remembered Dumbledore’s attempt to kill him. He closed them and wiped away the stray tears. Draco’s voice made him open his voice,

“Are you alright? You look………...”

Harry leaned back in the chair, closed his eyes and completed Draco’s sentence,

“Deathly………………I wish I were dead.”

Draco looked at Harry and he could clearly read the pain written on his face. He felt grateful for his place in the world and felt sorry for where Harry stood. He felt regret pool in his stomach as he remembered all the times he had insulted him at school. It seemed that Harry would never find peace. He was doomed to a life full of pain and suffering. Harry murmured sleepily,

“I want to sleep for a bit, Draco. You can relax.”

Draco looked at the table and then spoke,

“You should eat something first.”

Harry opened his eyes and directed his gaze towards Draco,

“Well I’m ordering you to let me sleep.”

Draco shook his head in resignation and walked away. Harry rested his head against the back of the seat and closed his eyes again. Soon enough he was drifting through troubled dreams and miserable thoughts.


	74. Chapter 74

Draco sat in a chair, a little distance away from where Harry slept. He was staring at Harry and thinking. His gaze perceiving Harry’s delicate features for the first time. His eyes came to a halt over Harry’s lips and he felt the temptation to kiss them. He could have claimed those lips any time he wanted at Hogwarts. How had he never noticed how gorgeous Harry was?  He was just lost in a haze of lust and want when the dark lord’s anger filled voice filled him with terror,

“Draco, what are you doing?”

Draco leapt up to his feet and felt fear tear at his heart and constrict his throat,

“My lord………”

Voldemort held up his hand and strode towards Harry. Draco followed timidly. Voldemort bent over Harry’s sleeping form and kissed his forehead,

“How long has he been asleep?”

Draco checked his watch and replied,

“Three hours, my lord.”

Voldemort caressed Harry’s cheek and Harry murmured something incoherently in his sleep,

“How long have you been staring at him?”

Draco bowed his head in an attempt to conceal his terror and spoke reverently,

“I haven’t been staring, my lord.”

Voldemort continued to caress Harry’s cheek and spoke in a low, lethal voice,

“You are lying, Draco.”

Draco felt his heart hammering in his chest. What if the Dark Lord had read his thoughts?

“I cannot dare to lie to you, my lord.”

Voldemort smiled softly and spoke again,

“What were you thinking?”

Draco didn’t know what to say or how to reply. Anything, that he would say would make matters worse for him. His father had taught him to remain silent in these situations but he had to say something,

 “My lord, it is……….”

Voldemort pointed his wand at Draco and cast the cruciatus curse. Draco fell to the floor and began writhing and screaming. Harry stirred in his sleep and Voldemort saw his eyelids flicker.

Harry returned to wakefulness as he heard the agonizing screams. His eyes flew open and he shot up to his feet. His gaze found Voldemort standing a few inches from him and Draco writhing on the floor. Harry wanted to beg Voldemort to stop but he was aware that his begging would make things worse for Draco. Voldemort lifted the curse after a minute and Draco spat out blood. Harry felt sorry for Draco and realized that he must have been punished because of him. He decided to justify himself,

“I’m sorry, I fell asleep. Draco was doing his job perfectly. It’s all my fault.”

Voldemort turned away from Draco and moved close to him. Harry felt fear pumping through his veins. He was in trouble. Harry stared down at his feet and wanted to say something more but Voldemort forced his finger to Harry’s lips. Harry felt Voldemort’s other hand grip his hair and he knew what was coming. Voldemort was angry at something and he was going to take it out on him.

Draco raised himself into a kneeling position and saw the dark lord holding Harry by the hair. The fear in Harry’s eyes was prominent and something told him that Harry was going to get hurt ten times worse than him. But Harry hadn’t done anything to deserve this. He wasn’t sure whether he was supposed to stay here or leave. He didn’t want to see Harry get tortured. Voldemort spoke in a low voice,

“You will stay, Draco.”

Voldemort’s grip tightened on Harry’s hair and he spoke in a low voice,

“Take off your robes.”

Harry looked at Draco and then stared into Voldemort’s crimson gaze. He wasn’t sure why Voldemort was doing this. Something must have gone wrong. Harry undid his robes and pulled them off. They fell to the ground and pooled around his feet. Voldemort smirked and undid the top two buttons of Harry’s black shirt.

Draco couldn’t watch. He looked at the floor and tried to block out the view. Voldemort’s enraged voice forced him to look up,

“Look at him, Draco. Tell me what you think?”

Harry didn’t know what Voldemort was hoping to achieve from all this. Draco couldn’t help but stutter,

“For……. forgive me, my lord.”

Voldemort kissed Harry’s now exposed neck and felt Harry’s entire being tremble,

“Is he not gorgeous?”

Draco looked at the Dark Lord’s shoes. He couldn’t look up at Harry or the Dark Lord,

“My lord……………...”

Voldemort’s grip tightened on Harry’s hair and a cry escaped Harry’s lips,

“Answer the question, Draco.”

Draco looked at Harry and he wanted to sink into the ground,

“Master, he is gorgeous.”

Voldemort slapped Harry across the face and tightened his hold on his hair,

“Are you listening to this, Harry?”

Harry couldn’t reply. What could he possibly say? He could feel the sting of the slap on his cheek. What had Draco done? Harry’s eyes watered with the pain. There was more to come. He was sure of it,

“ANSWER ME, HARRY!”

Harry barely managed to breathe out,

“I’m listening.”

Voldemort grabbed Harry’s jaw tightly and traced his fingers over Harry’s lips. He turned to Draco and spoke in a voice full of ire,

“Draco, do you deem yourself worthy of claiming these lips?”

Draco felt his entire being trembling uncontrollably. This would not end well for him,

“No………. No, my lord...”

Voldemort kissed Harry’s lips tightly and Harry struggled to pull away instinctively. Voldemort held on tight to Harry’s jaw and held him in place. Harry felt Voldemort’s tongue invade his mouth and he felt himself running out of breath fast. Voldemort swirled his tongue inside Harry’s mouth and then pulled it away. He bit Harry’s lower lip and a muffled cry escaped his lip. Voldemort pulled away but didn’t release his jaw.

Draco looked up and noticed blood seeping out from Harry’s ruptured lip. He looked away. This was all his fault. Why did he have those thoughts? He didn’t even like Harry.

Voldemort noticed the blood and immediately licked it away,

“Take off your shirt, Harry.”

Harry still shook from the after effects of the kiss. He couldn’t stop the shivers racking through his body. He didn’t want to give Voldemort another reason to torture him so he decided to just do whatever Voldemort wanted. His hands trembled uncontrollably as he attempted to undo the buttons.

Voldemort watched Harry as he struggled to get the buttons open and lost his patience. With a wave of his wand, he vanished Harry’s shirt and revealed his bare torso. He turned him around so that Harry’s back was towards Draco,

“LOOK AT HIM NOW, DRACO!!!”

Draco looked up and his jaw dropped in horror as he saw an enflamed dark mark on Harry’s back and five distinct whip marks. He felt blood thundering in his ears. He knew why the Dark Lord was showing him this. Voldemort held Harry’s shoulders tightly and asked the question,

“Who do you belong to, Harry?

Harry met Voldemort’s gaze and spoke in a shattered voice,

“You.”

Voldemort spun him around to face Draco,

“Tell Draco, who you belong to?”

Harry looked directly at Draco and spoke again,

“I…………...I belong to Lord Voldemort.”

Voldemort wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist and kissed his neck softly,

“What punishment would be befitting of your crime, Draco?”

Harry closed his eyes. His thoughts spinning as he knew the answer to Voldemort’s question. Draco begged Voldemort,

“Forgive me, Master. It shall never happen again.”

Voldemort tsked and spoke in a low voice,

“Forgiveness is not an option. You have transgressed your boundaries, Draco. Did you believe that I would not find out? Did you believe that I would remain oblivious of your intentions?”

Draco was beginning to back away,

“It was not my intention, my lord.”

Harry wanted to say something. Anything. Draco was going to die. He had to stop it. He had to stop Voldemort somehow. But for that he needed time. He knew Voldemort would calm down and his anger would dissipate in time. Harry finally spoke,

“You should make a public display of his punishment.”

Voldemort smirked in amusement and Harry saw Draco’s body tremble uncontrollably with terror. Harry felt Voldemort kiss the back of his head and heard him whisper in his ear,

“I am well aware of your thoughts, Harry. Your endeavours to save his worthless life shall result in failure. But I thank you for your suggestion. I shall most definitely employ it.”

Harry felt his blood run cold. His eyes took in Draco’s trembling terrified and he realized how badly his move had misfired. Voldemort chuckled and spoke out,

“I shall deal with you after the funeral tomorrow. Leave, Draco, and savour your remaining breaths. Spend some time with your parents. They shall be sorrowful at your death.”

Draco crawled away as fast as possible and disapparated. Voldemort released his hold on Harry conjured a shirt,

“Wear it.”

Harry took it and wore it. His mind still numb from the newest development. He had made a terrible mistake and Draco would pay for it. Harry was about to bend down to pick up his robes when Voldemort gripped his shoulders tightly and forced him to meet his gaze,

“Do you like Draco?”

Harry looked into Voldemort’s crimson eyes and spoke,

“You know that I don’t. We have never even been friends.”

Voldemort’s grip tightened on his shoulders,

“Then why do you wish for him to stay alive?”

“Because………I don’t want him to die because of me.”

Harry felt Voldemort’s smouldering gaze burning into him and then he spoke,

“You have already slain him with your beauty.”


	75. Chapter 75

Harry lay wide awake in bed. Voldemort’s words echoed in his head and the day’s events played in his mind over and over again. He looked beside him and saw Voldemort peacefully asleep.

Voldemort had brought him back to his castle. He had disappeared for an hour after dropping him off to take care of something. During that time, he had read a book on Funeral customs as an assignment. On his return, Voldemort had tested Harry and after he had been satisfied with his progress, he had told him to rest up for the morning and here they were now.

Harry willed himself not to think too much otherwise Voldemort would wake up. He stared up at the ceiling and drew in a deep breath. He began counting sheep in an attempt to fall asleep but it didn’t work. He tossed and turned but sleep wouldn’t come. Draco’s death sentence had made him restless. No………...he had to stop thinking. Harry changed his side again.

Voldemort felt Harry’s restlessness and sighed. He had tried to ignore it but it was getting worse rather than getting better. He wrapped an arm around Harry’s waist and pulled him closer to himself.

Harry saw Voldemort’s eyelids flutter open to reveal crimson orbs aimed directly at him. He felt himself being pulled closer. He was about to speak when Voldemort gently placed his hand on the back of his head and made it rest on his chest. Harry forgot everything as he listened to Voldemort’s heartbeat. That rhythmic pattern sounded so peaceful, so soothing that Harry felt himself slipping into that music. It was like a lullaby without words.

Voldemort smirked victoriously as he felt Harry’s body relax in his arms. Harry’s steady breathing told him that he had fallen asleep finally. Voldemort removed Harry’s glasses steadily and placed them on the side table. He closed his eyes and fell asleep while savouring the calmness of Harry’s thoughts. It was a rare occasion after all.

Harry felt his pillow shift and he muttered something incoherently. He felt the pillow vibrate and somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind thought that it was an earthquake. He was just too heavy-eyed to care so he went back to sleep.

Voldemort woke up and felt the weight of Harry’s head on his chest. He felt Harry’s arm draped around his stomach and felt the sweet taste of triumph on his lips. He looked at the clock and decided that he should get an overview of the funeral preparations before it started. He had just moved to sit up when Harry stirred and mumbled something. Voldemort chuckled and gently replaced Harry’s head on a pillow and got out of bed.

Harry woke up, feeling as if he was missing something. He opened his eyes and realized that Voldemort was gone. After sitting up, he blinked several times to banish the cobwebs from his mind and stretched. With a twinge, he remembered how he had fallen asleep last night or rather how Voldemort had put him to sleep last night. He felt his face flush and shook his head to erase the memory. But he couldn’t. There was something about it that felt………...He couldn’t find a word to describe it. His groped around for his glasses and found them on the side table along with a piece of parchment. Harry pushed his glasses over his nose and read the note,

“Be ready by ten.”

Harry looked at the clock and realized that he had half an hour left. Harry took a quick shower and got dressed in a pair of black pants and a black silk shirt. He moved the comb through his hair and felt his scalp still stinging from yesterday’s abuse. A pair of black dress robes materialized on the bed. He picked them up and put them on. After putting on his shoes, he looked at the clock again and realized that he still had five minutes left. Harry sat down in Voldemort’s arm chair and picked up the newspaper. It was a Daily Prophet and when he looked at the date on the top, he realized that it was today’s edition.

A moving picture of Cornelius Fudge filled the first page and the headline above it read,

“Cornelius Fudge resigns!!!”

Harry read through the article, something about it seemed off. He had known Cornelius Fudge and he knew that the man would never part with his position of Minister of Magic willingly. He flipped through the pages and found nothing of interest. He was just reading through an article about the Chudley Canons recent defeat when Voldemort appeared. Harry put away the newspaper and stood up.

Voldemort eyed Harry from head to toe and spoke in a pleased tone,

“How many shall you slay today?”

Harry knew Voldemort was teasing him. He wished no one was as foolish as Draco. Voldemort chuckled softly,

“That is a good wish, Harry.”

Voldemort extended his arm. Harry hesitantly took it and immediately felt the unpleasant sensation of being sucked through a tight tube. Harry felt his feet touch the ground and he breathed in the cool air of the grassland. He looked around and almost didn’t recognize the place. He saw a memorial carved from the blackest marble standing in the centre of the grassland. He stepped close to it and read the names of everyone that had passed away that night. He felt his eyes sting with tears as he read Tonk’s name.

Voldemort stood silent and watched Harry read. The tears in his eyes did not go unnoticed by him. He stepped closer to him and rested his hand on his shoulder,

“Calm down, Harry.”

Harry heard Voldemort’s voice and wiped away the tears,

“When will everyone arrive?”

Voldemort checked his pocket watch and replied,

“In ten minutes, I suspect. Would you like to see Nymphadora before the crowd arrives?”

Harry knew he wasn’t prepared for it but he had to say goodbye. He nodded his head and Voldemort led him to a huge white marquee where several coffins lay closed on tables. Harry felt irrepressible sorrow fill his heart and eclipse his mind. He was led to a black coffin adorned with gold roses. Voldemort opened the lid with a single wave of his wand.

Harry stepped forward and as soon as he took in the image in front of him. He collapsed on his knees and cried out. Tonks looked far more than just dead. She looked completely hollow. Her once bright hair had turned white; her features had been blanked out. That was not how he wanted to remember her. He had wanted to remember her for the bright, fun loving person that she had been but now he felt that this image would never leave his mind. It was burned into his memories. Harry buried his face in his hands and cried out,

“I don’t want to remember her this way. Just erase this memory from my mind.”

Voldemort kissed Harry’s head and spoke in a low voice,

“I would if I could.”


	76. Chapter 76

Harry stood beside Voldemort at an archway that was decorated with pure white roses. He tried to forget the image of Tonks but couldn’t. The sun shone bright on a clear blue sky and Harry wondered why the sky wasn’t crying. How could the sky not cry on such a sorrowful day? The sky was on Voldemort’s side……traitor. Harry heard the crack of apparition and saw Luna appear. She was dressed in a black knee length dress, black stockings and black heels. Her white blond hair shown in the sun. She approached them and greeted them,

“Hello Harry. Greetings, Lord Voldemort.”

Voldemort flashed his most charming smile, took her hand and kissed it softly,

“Greeting, Miss Lovegood. How are you?”

Luna gazed around the grassland dreamily and spoke,

“You disregarded my warning, Lord Voldemort.”

Voldemort’s smile vanished,

“You mean to say that the events from your visions have not happened yet.”

Luna looked at Harry’s shell-shocked form,

“They have not………. That night was just a small foretaste of what is to come.”

What did Luna want Voldemort to do? Did she want Voldemort to lock him away permanently? Voldemort spoke in a low voice,

“Will the order attempt to kill Harry today?”

Harry knew he had to intervene. He had to say something,

“They won’t kill me.”

Voldemort chuckled softly,

“How long shall you continue to live in your fool’s paradise? Dumbledore blatantly attempted to kill you? Did you forget that, Harry?”

Luna spoke in a soft voice,

“Harry, the order doesn’t want you alive. You have to understand that.”

Harry felt his hands ball into fists. He stuffed them in the pocket of his robes and walked away from Voldemort and Luna.

Luna looked at Harry’s back sadly and spoke,

“He is not happy.”

Voldemort stared at Luna for a while and then replied,

“His happiness does not matter.”

Luna turned away from Voldemort and gently spoke,

“Send him away for a few days. His proximity to you shall only result in his death.”

Voldemort stared at her back, feeling anger bubbling in his chest at the preposterous suggestion,

“I do not recall asking you for your advice.”

Luna turned back and smiled,

“It is not an advice, Lord Voldemort. It is what I have foreseen and you shall do well to heed my warning.”

Voldemort watched her move towards the white marquee. He saw Harry seated in one of the many white chairs laid out for the guests and thought about what Miss Lovegood had just said. She had not been lying. He was certain of it. But where would he send Harry? Who was trustworthy enough to keep him safe? He would think about it later but till then what if the order attacked again. Harry was vulnerable. If he took him back to the castle now, the order would consider themselves victorious. No, Harry would attend the funeral at any cost. It was necessary. Voldemort walked towards Harry and spoke,

“Get up, Harry.”

Harry stood up quietly and walked back to the archway. Several cracks resonated through the air and Harry saw Mr and Mrs. Weasley appear along with Bill, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny. Ron and Ginny both looked as if they were ready to throw up and Harry wondered if he looked like that when he apparated with Voldemort. Mr and Mrs Weasley passed Harry a concerned look and walked away to the seating section. Bill, Ron and Ginny followed. Harry saw Fred and George trading secret messages amongst themselves again and was startled when they approached him. They both murmured together,

“Greetings, my lord. For obvious reasons, we cannot kiss your feet. But we will make up for it.”

Harry stared incredulously at them. He felt a wave of shock surge through his body at the revelation. This had to be a dream. It had to be a nightmare,

“Not you too…………please………not you too.”

Voldemort wrapped an arm around Harry’s waist threateningly as Fred and George hurried away from them,

“Do not create a scene, Harry.”

Harry felt too numb. Had he gotten used to being betrayed? Had he grown accustomed to treachery? He had to calm himself. Harry closed his eyes, breathed in and breathed out. He relaxed,

“You have just met Draco’s replacements. They are cleverer, far more competent and resourceful.”

Harry stared off into empty space and spoke through numb lips,

“Cleverer, competent and resourceful. They’ll definitely do you proud.”

Voldemort’s grip tightened around Harry’s waist,

“Watch your tone, Harry. As for the twins, they have already proven themselves to me.”

Harry didn’t want to discuss the matter anymore. He felt Voldemort whisper in his ear,

“Have you considered why all your good friends seem to be joining me?”

Harry had considered it and deemed it as deliberate betrayal,

“Maybe their loyalty to you has brought them to me, Harry.”

Harry saw a group of Veelas approaching them and greeted them and offered his consolation. When they had moved on, Harry’s train of thought set off again. Loyalty…………. If they had been loyal, they would have fought for the light………they would have fought for Dumbledore…………. No, Dumbledore had tried to kill him. Why had Dumbledore done that? He had said that it was for the greater good. What was the greater good? What could Dumbledore hope to achieve by killing him?

“Harry, snap out of it.”

Harry’s train of thought came to an abrupt halt at Voldemort’s words,

“I want to go home. I can’t do this. Just let me go home.”

Voldemort smirked and replied smugly,

“Which home, Harry?”

They greeted a group of centaurs and offered their commiserations. They watched them and saw them move ahead and vanish in the White Marquee. When they were gone, Harry nearly slumped down to the ground. Voldemort’s vice-like grip around his waist kept him on his feet,

“Which home, Harry? Answer me.”

Harry closed his eyes and spoke,

“The castle, your castle.”

Voldemort tsked softly and spoke in a low voice,

“Harry, your presence here, beside me, is a symbol of Dumbledore’s defeat. Do you really believe that I shall allow you to leave?”

Harry shook his head,

“No, I know that you will not let me leave.”

Voldemort smirked and led Harry away from the archway,

“Let us proceed to the burial site, Harry. I wish for you to bury your past with the dead.”


	77. Chapter 77

Harry sat silently in one of the white chairs in the front row. He stared emptily at the black memorial. Silent tears continued to slip down his cheeks. Why was he even born? Why was he still alive? He had thought he would give his life for these people rather than watch them die and instead they had died for him. He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. He wanted the world to dissolve around him. He wanted it all to be a bad dream that he would just wake up from. What he wanted wasn’t important anymore. It didn’t matter anymore. This wasn’t a dream and he would never get his old life back.

Voldemort watched Harry from a distance. Harry had grown pale and he was the epitome of pure sorrow. He had half a mind to go there and tell him to stop his sentimental demonstration but he stopped himself. Allowing Harry some space to grieve was the better option.

Harry felt someone draw near him. He opened his eyes and realized that it was Luna. He closed his eyes again,

“Go away, Luna. I don’t want to talk to you.”

Luna rested her hand on his shoulder and wiped the tears away from his cheeks,

“Harry, talk to me.”

Harry opened his eyes and met Luna’s gaze,

“Tell me, Luna. You are a seer, right? Tell me that I am going to die soon.”

Tears welled up in Luna’s eyes and she spoke in a soft voice,

“No, Harry. You will not die. You are going to survive this.”

Harry got up to his feet,

“Why, Luna? Why are you working for him?”

Luna drew nearer to Harry and wrapped her arms around him,

“Because of you, Harry.”

A broken sob escaped Harry’s lips as a fresh wave of sorrow gripped him. Luna rubbed soothing circles on his back and spoke,

“You’re not alone, Harry, and you have not been forsaken. Sirius cares about you. I care about you. The twins care about you. Don’t push us away.”

Harry closed his eyes tightly and spoke in a voice raw with emotions,

“What am I supposed to do, Luna? I can’t live with him.”

Luna kissed his cheek softly,

“Your future is with him, Harry. You’re bonded to him. Just be patient.”

Harry closed his eyes and drew away from Luna,

“I’ve got nothing but patience left.”

She held his hand,

“You have us. Don’t forget that.”

Harry saw Sirius, appear from inside the Marquee with an ashen faced Remus by his side. Sirius had his arm around Remus and was comforting him but Remus seemed to be lost in a world of his own. A world filled with grief, no doubt. Harry was about walk towards them when Remus shouted out something incoherent and Harry watched him break free from Sirius and rushed towards to where Voldemort was standing and chatting casually with the centaurs. Harry realized what Remus was going to do and he knew he had to stop him. He couldn’t watch Remus die too.

Harry felt adrenaline coursing through his veins as he ran towards Remus. He reached him, just as he had drawn his wand and stood a few inches away from Voldemort. Harry stepped between Remus and Voldemort. The conversation ceased and Voldemort turned to see the confrontation,

“Step out of the way, Harry!!!”

Harry stood his ground,

“No, Remus. You have to stop this madness.”

Tears flowed down Remus’s cheeks but he held the wand steady,

“He is the root of all this evil. I’LL KILL HIM TODAY!!!”

Voldemort watched the scene with extreme amusement. Harry kept his gaze fixated on Remus and spoke,

“Remus, no……………..”

Harry couldn’t finish the sentence. He felt darkness fall in front of his eyes. Had Remus cast the curse? He felt, first his knees, then his head hit the ground. He tried to open his eyes but his eyelids felt too heavy.

Remus’s wand dropped from his hand as he saw Harry abruptly collapse. He rushed towards him and was about to take him in his arms when Voldemort reached there first and gathered Harry in his arms. He pulled out his wand and ran a diagnostic. He cursed under his breath and summoned a potion. After uncorking it, he held the flask to Harry’s lips and tipped it.

Voldemort watched as Harry crumpled to the floor and strode towards him. So much for not causing a scene. He felt anger flaring up and it took him all his restraint to not hurt Harry. He fixed the werewolf with a murderous glare and felt the urge to kill him. His gaze moved from the werewolf to Harry and he let that idea slide for the time being. What was wrong with the boy now? He gathered Harry in his arms and ran a diagnostic on him. The result made his anger disappear. He cursed under his breath. When was the last time Harry had had something to eat? He couldn’t remember and he knew that Harry wouldn’t be able to recall as well. He had just given Harry a nutrition potion when the werewolf spoke,

“Is he alright?”

Voldemort couldn’t hold back his rage and when he spoke, venom dripped from every syllable,

“You wanted to kill me. Well here is your chance. How about we have a fair duel. Would you like that werewolf?”

Harry moaned out,

“No. Please………. No.”

Remus stepped back,

“I am truly sorry. I was blinded by my grief. Please forgive me, Lord Voldemort.”

Voldemort smirked,

“Should I forgive him, Harry?”

Harry’s breathing was uneven but he was conscious,

“Answer me, Harry.”

With extreme difficulty, Harry uttered out a single word,

“Please……….”

Harry’s body grew limp and Voldemort kissed his forehead softly,

“You are forgiven werewolf. Allege your loyalty to me.”

Voldemort signalled towards his feet and Remus hurried forward and kissed them,

“I am yours to command and forever in your debt.”

Voldemort’s smirk widened as he looked around the crowd that had gathered around them. Remus Lupin had alleged his loyalty to him in front of the order members. How was it that things always turned out to be in his favour? Harry, unquestionably, was his lucky charm.


	78. Chapter 78

Harry opened his eyes and found himself lying on a couch. He jumped to his feet as soon as he remembered what Lupin had been about to do. His head spun and he was about to collapse on the floor when an arm wrapped around his waist and held him upright. He instantly knew who it belonged to and that he was in big trouble. Harry closed his eyes and steadied himself. Once he had regained his balance, the arm released him. Voldemort stepped in front of him And Harry immediately lowered his gaze. He could feel the anger radiating from the man and he knew that Voldemort would take out that anger on him very soon. Voldemort’s cold voice forced him to look up and meet his smouldering gaze,

“Harry, look at me.”

Voldemort stepped closer to him and Harry resisted the urge to step back. He was beyond terrified at the moment and he knew that the fear was written all over his face. Voldemort smirked and gripped Harry by his shirt collar,

“Did I not tell you to eat yesterday when I sent you off with Draco?”

Harry remembered that Voldemort had told him that but he had taken a nap instead and that had resulted in catastrophe. Voldemort tightened his grip on his collar and shook him,

“ANSWER ME!!!”

Harry spoke up,

“You did.”

Voldemort loosened his grip and spoke in a threatening tone,

“Did you eat anything, Harry?”

Harry knew he had to reply. He shook his head to say no. Voldemort’s hand left his collar and grabbed him by the throat instead and roared,

“SHALL I HAVE TO FEED YOU LIKE AN INFANT???”

Harry felt his air supply being cut off and he began to choke. Voldemort pushed him back and he fell back on the couch. He drew in several gulps of air and rubbed his neck. Voldemort turned to him again and sat down beside him on the couch. Harry tried to distance himself but Voldemort had already gripped his arm,

“Answer my question, Harry?”

Harry couldn’t speak. His words were caught up in his throat so he shook his head again. Voldemort tsked and traced Harry’s wrist with his finger,

“Do you remember the restraints, Harry?”

Harry remembered the black ropes that had held him for more than a month. How could he ever forget them? Voldemort smirked maliciously,

“I can put you back in them, just as easily as I removed you from them.”

Harry knew he had to speak,

“It won’t happen again. I’m sorry.”

Voldemort’s grip tightened on his wrist,

“I do not require your apologies. What I require from you is your obedience.”

Harry knew if he said something wrong, Voldemort would shatter his wrist again and he didn’t need that,

“I am doing everything that you ask me to do.”

Voldemort struck him across the cheek and Harry felt his cheek burn from the impact,

“LIAR.”

Voldemort came over him and straddled him on the couch,

“Your obedience is the one thing that you have not given me, Harry. I do intend to take it willingly or unwillingly.”

Harry felt Voldemort’s breath on his lips. They were physically too close and Harry felt himself burning up with discomfort. Voldemort brushed his lips against his and Harry pushed his head back as far as it would go. Voldemort gripped Harry by the hair but Harry continued to pull back. Voldemort chuckled softly,

“You see, Harry. Even now you continue to oppose me knowing that I shall have my way with you eventually. When will you understand that your resistance is futile?”

Harry closed his eyes tightly and felt his scalp aching as yesterday’s dormant pain was awakened again. Harry felt Voldemort’s lips engross his and he struggled with every bit of strength left in his body. Voldemort continued to kiss his lips forcefully and Harry continued to resist. After what seemed like an eternity, Voldemort pulled his lips away and gripped Harry’s chin tightly,

“How long has it been since I last claimed you physically?”

Harry felt a fresh wave of terror move through his body. He couldn’t even bear to imagine that let alone experience that again. Voldemort kept a tight hold on his chin and spoke again,

“Open your eyes and answer me.”

Harry did as he was told and met Voldemort’s crimson, lustful gaze,

“No………...please…………”

Voldemort kissed his forehead and stroked his cheek,

“That is not the answer to my question, Harry. Try again.”

Harry could feel his heart hammering out of his chest. He knew he had to speak or things would get worse,

“Punish me any way you want but please not that………………. anything but that.”

Voldemort rested a finger on his lips and spoke in a low, deadly voice,

“I shall do, whatever I desire, to you, Harry. Do you remember the last time I claimed you? Do you remember the vows you took?”

Harry had no choice but to nod his head. He remembered the vows and they were playing in his head,

“Say them again, Harry. Refresh my memory.”

Harry knew he had no other choice. He spoke them,

 “I take you to be my spouse from this moment onward. To join with you and to share all that is to come. To be your faithful. To give and to receive. To speak and to listen. To inspire and to respond. A commitment made in blood, kept in faith, and eternally made new."

When he was done, Harry realized how badly he was bound to Voldemort and he wanted nothing more than to die. Voldemort’s smirk had widened,

“Very good, Harry. Now tell me have you not vowed to join with me? Have you not vowed to be my faithful?”

Harry couldn’t reply. He didn’t know what to say. Voldemort gripped Harry’s chin, made him meet his vicious gaze and spoke,

“If you resist me tonight, Harry, I shall put you back in restraints permanently. Is that understood?”

Harry’s eyes widened in fear. His body was freezing up with dread and distress,

“Answer me.”

Harry nodded his head numbly. What else could he do? Voldemort grin widened impossibly,

“Time to re-join the funeral, Harry. Your friends are waiting to see you.”

Harry closed his eyes tightly as Voldemort stood up from over him. He wished with all his heart to die before night fall. Let me die……………………please just let me die.

Voldemort laughed,

“Death shall not save you, Harry.”


	79. Chapter 79

Voldemort watched Harry get up from the couch. He felt delicious pleasure at seeing Harry look so terrorized. He had managed to win over everyone’s sympathies by stating that Harry was still weak from the miscarriage. Harry’s unexpected collapse had proved more beneficial to his cause than he had first thought. He had decided to send Harry away and he had found the perfect candidate for the job. Of course, it was only for a few days but he wanted to fulfil all his sexual desires before Harry left. He approached Harry and straightened out his hair, corrected his robes and traced his wand over the bruise developing on his neck. He hated to admit that Luna Lovegood had been right. Harry would die if he stayed close to him,

“Harry, do not let your emotions show. I shall not tolerate another mistake.”

Harry nodded quietly. He put away all his emotions and drew a deep breath. He had to avoid another mistake at any cost. Voldemort stepped out of the tent and Harry followed quietly. He felt momentarily blinded as the sun shone bright. Harry felt someone hold him in a rib shattering embrace and he breathed in the familiar scent of Mrs. Weasley,

“Are you feeling alright, Harry dear?”

Harry nodded quietly and spoke,

“I’m fine, Mrs. Weasley.”

Harry felt that Mrs. Weasley was crying,

“You poor child, I can’t believe you’ve been through so much.”

Harry knew he had to convince Mrs. Weasley that he was fine. He pulled away from her and wiped away her tears,

“I’m completely fine, Mrs. Weasley.”

He felt someone’s hand on his shoulder and he turned around to see that it belonged to Mr. Weasley,

“Harry, we can’t even see eye to eye because of what Dumbledore attempted to do. We are so ashamed, Harry. You could have died………...You would have died if he hadn’t saved you.”

Harry looked at Mr. Weasley and spoke,

“It’s not your fault, Mr Weasley. I don’t even blame you. Where is Remus? Is he alright?”

Mr. Weasley pointed to a corner where Remus stood with Sirius. Harry felt a rush of emotions at seeing Sirius and remembered what Luna had said. He had to make things right. Harry walked towards them silently and hugged Sirius tightly,

“I am so sorry, Sirius. I kept blaming you for everything that happened to me. I called you a traitor. I treated you so wrong. I’m sorry for everything.”

Sirius wrapped his arm around Harry and held him close,

“I should be sorry, Harry. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Harry drew a deep breath. It was hard not to break down in front of Sirius,

“Thank you for being here for me. I know you went against everything you ever believed in just to be close to me, just to keep me in your sight. I’m so proud to be have you as my godfather.”

Sirius rubbed his back and spoke in a low voice,

“Harry, I haven’t fulfilled all my responsibilities. What kind of a godfather let’s his godson be………...”

He stopped in midsentence and Harry saw tears shining in his eyes,

“I know what he does to you, Harry, and I can’t stop him. I have never felt so helpless.”

Harry wiped them and spoke his most well-rehearsed lie,

“I’m fine, Sirius. I’m alright. I’m standing here in front of you. That should be enough.”

Sirius patted Harry’s shoulder,

“I know you’re lying, Harry. Your eyes say it all.”

Harry looked away and spoke,

“Then you should also know that we both have appearances to keep.”

Harry turned to Remus,

“Are you okay?”

Remus nodded silently. He seemed lost somewhere and Harry knew that something was wrong,

“What’s wrong, Remus?”

Harry looked towards Sirius and asked,

“What’s wrong with him, Sirius? Did he hurt him?”

Sirius shook his head,

“Harry, Remus……joined the death eaters.”

Harry felt the weight of the statement hit him hard and he felt his head spin. Sirius instantly wrapped an arm around his waist to support him,

“Harry, relax, you’re still recovering from the…………”

Sirius caught himself in mid-sentence and Remus spoke,

“Just relax, Harry. Everything is alright.”

Remus walked close to him and rested his hands on his shoulders,

“Just try not to worry too much, Harry.”

Harry looked up and met Remus’s gaze,

“Did he mark you?”

Remus looked away and Sirius spoke in a low voice,

“No, Harry. He’ll do it tonight after the funeral.”

Harry spoke,

“Remus, I can convince him to stop this. Just say the word and I’ll do anything to stop it.”

Remus instantly met Harry’s gaze and embraced him,

“No, Harry. I know what you will do and I cannot allow you to offer yourself up to him just to save me.”

Harry rubbed Remus’s back and spoke,

“He’ll do it to me anyway, Remus. At least this way, I’ll know that you’ll have your freedom.”

Harry drew a deep breath and stopped Remus from saying anything more,

“No, Remus. Just don’t stop me.”

Remus looked helplessly towards Sirius who nodded his head with an expression of utmost despair on his face,

“Harry is right, Remus.”

Harry scanned the grassland and saw Voldemort giving orders to his death eaters,

“I’ll see you both later.”

Harry turned around and walked towards Voldemort. He reached him and waited for him to finish issuing orders. When he was done, Voldemort turned to him. Harry was about to speak when Voldemort spoke,

“Harry, do not make an offer that you shall not be able to fulfil.”

Harry scanned his surroundings and once satisfied that they were alone spoke,

“I won’t resist, I won’t struggle, I won’t cry. I’ll do anything you want tonight.………just free Remus.”

Voldemort looked deep into Harry’s eyes and then smirked in satisfaction,

“Very well, Harry. But I do hope that you realize the ramifications of your proposal. You shall do anything I want tonight and you are well aware of what I want.”

Harry nodded his head quietly. He wasn’t afraid of what was coming anymore. Voldemort walked away from him. Harry turned around and realized that everyone was taking their seats in the sitting area. He was about to walk there when Voldemort called out from a distance,

“Harry, your place is with me.”

Harry strode towards Voldemort and realized that he was supposed to sit in the front row. He saw Bellatrix standing there, along with Lucius, Narcissa and Draco. Draco looked as if all the blood had been drained from his body. He looked pale and lifeless. Voldemort sat down and Harry took a seat beside him. When they were both seated, Narcissa led Draco to a chair and sat down beside him. Harry didn’t miss the venomous glares that were directed towards him by Bellatrix, Lucius and Narcissa. It seemed Voldemort hadn’t missed them either. Voldemort spoke in an extremely low voice so that only Bellatrix, Lucius and Harry could hear him,

“If you both do not stop glowering at Harry, I shall kill Draco right here and now. Is that understood?”

Harry heard soft murmurs of “yes, my lord” followed by apologies. Harry didn’t blame them for hating him. It was their right. Harry looked straight ahead as coffins began to materialize in front of them. He felt his heart ache as he realized that Tonks was in one of them. A man in dark green robes began to drone on about death. Harry tuned out his voice and stared emptily at the coffins. He didn’t have any more tears to shed.

Voldemort’s sole focus was on Harry. Harry wasn’t crying which was unusual. He hadn’t cried a single tear in the tent as well. It had to mean something. Had he really ran out of tears or had he grown insensitive and numb? He decided to ask Harry about it,

“I have observed that you are not shedding any tears. It is quite uncharacteristic of you.”

Harry met Voldemort’s crimson gaze and spoke,

“You would say the same thing if I became obedient.”

Voldemort repressed a chuckle. Harry really was amusing. Even after two months of incessant pain and torture, Harry had not lost that spark. Harry looked away from Voldemort and continued his blank staring. Harry heard sobbing and crying from behind him and resisted the urge to turn around.

The man stopped droning and Harry watched him step back and wave his wand. Harry closed his eyes as a blinding flash light lit up everything. When he opened his eyes, Harry saw graves, where the coffins had been moments ago. The sobbing and crying grew louder and Harry turned around to see a woman crying hysterically while a man comforted her. He had never seen her before but her features resembled Bellatrix’s. He couldn’t help but ask,

“Who is she?”

It was Bellatrix that replied,

“My sister. Also known as Nymphadora’s mother.”

Harry wanted to apologize to her. He wanted to beg her for forgiveness. She had lost her daughter because of him. How much more people were going to get hurt because of him? Harry’s gaze turned to Draco. Draco was next on that list. No, he had to prevent it somehow. He had to do something. He couldn’t let Draco die for something he hadn’t done. He was about to stand when Voldemort gripped his wrist,

“Sit, Harry. There is nothing you can do to comfort her.”

Harry settled back in his seat and looked at the graves with glistening white marble stones. At least they were at peace. When would he find peace? Never, probably. Harry heard conversation break out in soft murmurs and he knew that everyone was rising from their seats to pay their last respects to the deceased. A death eater came from behind and said something in Voldemort’s ear. Voldemort rose to his feet suddenly and rushed away in a hurry, Bellatrix, Lucius and Narcissa followed suite.

Harry wondered what could have happened. Whatever it was, it had to be something important. Harry stood up from his seat. He just couldn’t sit anymore. He began to walk around the grassland and reached the archway, where he had greeted the guests with Voldemort. Suddenly he felt a wand being pressed in his back and after that everything went dark.


	80. Chapter 80

 

Voldemort was furious. Incompetent fools couldn’t handle a simple issue. He returned to the grassland fuming. He scanned the area for Harry. Now, where was the brat? He looked around, found Black with the werewolf. He saw the blood traitor Weasleys. His gaze found the centaurs in a corner, the Veelas but no Harry. Alarms were beginning to go off in his head. He strode to the sitting area and found most of the seats empty. Harry wasn’t here either. He headed towards the tent and looked inside it. No Harry.

Bellatrix was beginning to sense her master’s irritation and concern. Potter was nowhere to be seen. Had the boy finally managed to escape? It would be a dream come true. She hoped that the boy would die. The brat didn’t deserve the Dark Lord. Ever since he had shown up, the Dark Lord had been giving him most of his attention. She had kissed the boy’s wretched feet. Now that he had escaped. She was certain that the Dark Lord would kill him as soon as he found him.

Narcissa Malfoy rushed towards her son and raised him up to his feet. Draco had been in this shell-shocked form ever since he had returned home yesterday and informed them of the death sentence, the dark lord had placed on him. The damned boy was the reason her baby was in this condition. He deserved to die. She looked at Draco and kissed his head. She had to get him somewhere safe before she had to join the search for the imprudent brat.

Voldemort was searching through the grassland frantically. Where was he? He couldn’t have escaped. There was no chance for him to escape. That ring on his finger would have caused him excruciating pain if he had even attempted to escape. No, he hadn’t escaped. He couldn’t have escaped.

Voldemort spotted Luna near a grave. He strode towards her and tried to hide his irritation,

“He is missing?”

Luna turned towards him and Voldemort saw concern in her eyes,

“I warned you and you disregarded it.”

Luna closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. All she managed to see were fuzzy shapes and distant sounds. They were not relevant. She opened her eyes,

“He needs to be found as soon as possible, Lord Voldemort. He could be dead right now for all we know.”

Voldemort looked around the crowd. Someone here must have assisted in his escape. He summoned his death eaters and cast a barrier. He was worried. Harry’s disappearance did not mean anything good. What if he was already…………No, he could not think like that. He was certain that Dumbledore was involved in this. He didn’t have time. He addressed his death eaters,

“Harry is missing and I want him found in less than an hour. Search the skies if you must but I want him found. He is not to be harmed. If he isn’t found, all of you shall suffer.”

Voldemort turned towards the order members,

“Someone from among you has assisted in Harry’s disappearance. I am giving you one chance to come forth with the information or I shall have to force the information out of you.”

He stood and waited for any one of them to come forward and tell him where Harry was. He knew he would have to emotionally blackmail them. If they cared about Harry one bit, at least one of them would come forward with Harry’s whereabouts,

“Harry could be dying. Tell me where he is if you do not wish for him to die.”

No one stepped forward. He saw the Weasley woman burst into tears. He had no use for this melodrama,

“Very well. It seems that I shall have to resort to extreme measures.”

He signalled Bellatrix to come close,

“I am leaving it up to you to get the information from them.”

Bellatrix fell on her knees in front of him, kissed his feet and murmured,

“I shall not disappoint you, my lord.”

Voldemort rushed to the tent and conjured a map. He pointed his wand at it and murmured,

““locate meam”

Suddenly four small globes of light emerged from his wand and settled on different locations on the map. He cursed and burned the map. Where was Harry? Why wasn’t his or the ring’s location being shown on the map? He wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be dead. Voldemort gripped his hair and leaned back against the table. No, he wasn’t dead. He would have felt it. Harry had to be alive. He just had to be alive. He stepped away from the table. He felt anger and rage boiling in his blood. He pointed his wand at the nearest object and watched it shatter with a loud bang.

His hand moved to his chest. His heart was hammering in his chest. Was this fear? Fear of what? Fear of losing his horcruxes or fear of losing Harry? No, he would not lose Harry. He would not lose him under any circumstances. He heard screaming from outside. Bellatrix had begun.

 He disapparated and appeared outside Hogwarts. The castle gates opened for him and he rushed inside. He would burn the castle down if he didn’t care about it. He had just stepped inside the entrance when Dumbledore appeared. Voldemort regarded him with a murderous glare,

“Where is Harry?”

Dumbledore smiled benignly and spoke,

“Tom, won’t you come inside and take a seat?”

Voldemort wanted to kill the old man right there and then but then he would have no way to find Harry,

“WHERE IS HARRY?”

Dumbledore’s smile did not vanish. Voldemort wanted to burn the old man. He would make him pay. Dumbledore spoke,

“You are not asking the right questions, Tom. You do not care about Harry. The horcrux inside him is the only thing that matters to you.”

That wasn’t the truth. No, it wasn’t the truth. He saw his memories of Harry flash through his mind. He snapped out of it and pointed his wand at Dumbledore,

“Where is he? Tell me old man or I shall kill you.”

Dumbledore kept smiling,

“You shall not get him back. He is going where no one can ever return from.”

Voldemort threw a killing curse towards Dumbledore, which Dumbledore dodged effortlessly. Voldemort knew he could not afford to waste time here. He had to find Harry as soon as possible. He hurried out of the castle and disapparated.


	81. Chapter 81

Harry regained consciousness, but the first sound that he heard was the clanking of the chains. That was odd. He opened his eyes and it took him a little while to focus properly but when his vision cleared he realized that he was in a small cell and the sound had been made by the shackles chaining his wrists to the cell wall. He felt confused beyond measure. How in the world had he ended up here, in this condition? He tried to recall the last thing he had experienced. The last thing he recalled was a wand being pressed in his back. Who had it been? Why was he even chained up in a cell?  

Harry felt his arms aching; he had probably been in his condition for a while now. He looked around the cell; it was empty, except for him. He still struggled to get his wrists free knowing that it wasn’t going to work. He leaned back against the cold stone wall and closed his eyes. He was in trouble and he could feel it. Harry knew that he had to think of a strategy but he couldn’t, he had no idea where he was. Even if he got out of this cell, he wouldn’t know which way to go and how to get out of this prison or whatever it was. It was going to be difficult but he would have to do it.

His thoughts drifted off to Voldemort. Would he be searching for him? Of course, he would. Or maybe not. He wasn’t sure. Maybe Voldemort would just forget about him like Dumbledore had done. He felt his heart ache at that prospect. No, Voldemort wouldn’t forget him. He couldn’t just leave him here, wherever here was. Harry’s thoughts came to a standstill as he realized what he was thinking. Was he hoping that Voldemort would save him? Had he lost his mind? He needed saving from Voldemort.

Harry banged his head against the wall. He wished whoever had brought him here, planned to murder him. He didn’t have the strength to live anymore. He was tired of breathing, tired of all the torture and all the pain. Only death could free him. Nothing was up to him though. He was at the mercy of someone he probably didn’t even know. Another possibility crossed his mind. What if Dumbledore was behind all this? It made sense because Dumbledore wanted to kill him. He had even attempted to kill him. The more he thought about it, the more he grew certain of the fact that Dumbledore was the one keeping him here. But if Dumbledore had brought him here then why hadn’t he come in front of him yet? Or better yet, why hadn’t he simply used a killing curse on him till now? Why was he still alive?

Harry shook his head. Thinking wouldn’t get him anywhere. There was nothing left to do except for him to wait and watch how it played along. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. He lifted himself up a bit to relax his arms for a while. The pain lessened and he sighed out in relief but he knew that he wouldn’t be able to keep it up for long; sooner or later his muscles would have to face the strain again.

He didn’t know how long he had been here or how long he was supposed to remain here. Harry felt lightheaded. Whatever potion Voldemort had fed him was wearing off. He pushed his head back against the wall in an attempt to steady his spinning head but it wasn’t working. Harry didn’t want to pass out again but it seemed he didn’t have a choice. Suddenly Harry heard footsteps approaching him. He wanted to open his eyes but his eyelids were too heavy. He listened intently to the footsteps. They came to a halt in front of him. He struggled to open his eyes but couldn’t.

Suddenly Harry felt something soft wrap over his eyes. Had he just been blindfolded? He tried to move but he was just too exhausted. He felt a hand come to rest on his cheek. Harry felt his heartbeat quicken. He wanted to speak but couldn’t. It was as if someone had tied his tongue. Harry felt another hand wrap around his wrist. He realized that someone was checking his vitals. He tried to speak again but only a weak moan escaped his lips. The hand drew away from his cheek and his wrist. The next thing he felt was a flask being held close to his lips. The flask was tipped and Harry felt himself unwillingly swallow the contents. The flask was pulled away and Harry felt the darkness grow stronger.

Harry opened his eyes, but there was nothing but darkness there, for a moment he wondered whether he was awake or not. He was awake but he was blindfolded. That explained the darkness in front his eyes. Harry heard footsteps growing distant. Someone had been here. Someone had checked his pulse and that very same someone had fed him a potion. What was going on? Why wasn’t he dead already? No, he didn’t want to die. Voldemort had said that he had to live. He had to live because of he died here, no one would be able to save his friends. He had to live for Sirius. He wouldn’t die. Not like this. Not under these circumstances.

He didn’t know when or why but a whole ocean of thoughts was engulfing him, slowly intoxicating him. No, what was wrong with him? Why was he thinking this much? He had to calm himself down; he had to get his mind back under control. Harry didn’t know why he was beginning to feel so hazy, so tired, so exhausted…. Harry struggled again with himself, he tried to lift his eyelids but he couldn’t, they were just too heavy. He didn’t know if he was asleep or awake, he wasn’t sure if he was even alive.

The cold, stillness made him shudder. It was slowly beginning to turn all his doubts into reality. What was he thinking? He was alive, he was still breathing but then why didn’t he feel alive. He had to clear his head, he had to stop thinking because the more he thought, the more he became unsure of his own being. Harry was slowly, unwillingly drifting into the darkness he was trying so hard to avoid. Harry couldn’t tell what was what anymore. Harry could feel the darkness pressing hard on him, but that must mean that he was still alive. No, this was death, drawing his soul from him. No…no…no he was alive. He had to live, not for himself, but for everyone else.

Harry felt the deathly silence devouring his ears. Why was it so quiet? He struggled against it but the silence remained. He struggled with his own thoughts. He was all alone here and then it struck him. This was what his life was going to be like even when he got out of this cell alive. This was exactly what he would feel like, all alone with the cold, flawless darkness that was Lord Voldemort. He would have to live in Voldemort’s castle with this nerve shattering silence and with no way out. His own screams would be the only sound he would hear. It was better for death to take him away while he was still here. No, he had just thought that he wouldn’t give up his life. Harry couldn’t understand what was wrong with him, why was he thinking like this.

He felt the darkness engulfing him and swallowing him whole. He couldn’t fight it anymore. He was done fighting.


	82. Chapter 82

Draco sat in a tiny sitting room on a threadbare sofa. The room had the feeling of a dark padded cell. The walls were completely covered in books, most of them bound in old black or brown leather. An old armchair and a rickety table stood grouped together in a pool of dim light cast by a candle-filled lamp hung from the ceiling. The place had an air of neglect, as though it was not usually inhabited. Which was true because Snape spent most of his time at Hogwarts.

Draco closed his eyes and leaned back on the sofa. He hated this place. He wished his parents hadn’t left him here. He didn’t need babysitting after all he was a grown up now. Why didn’t his parents understand that? He was about to be killed in a few hours or as soon as Harry was found. No matter what everyone had said, it wasn’t Harry’s fault. Harry wasn’t responsible for the death sentence placed on him. He had seen the extent of the dark lord’s torture on him. Somehow death felt like a mercy compared to what Harry might have gone through last night or what he will go through for the rest of his life. He just hoped that Harry was fine, wherever he was. Draco shook his head and decided not to think about it. He would accept his fate no matter what it was.

Voldemort had returned to his castle. He returned to the room and waved his wand. A heap of clothing appeared in front of him. He picked up the black shirt from the heap and held it close to his lips. He breathed in Harry’s scent and his fists clenched. He would get him back at any cost. He kissed the shirt and disapparated with it.

He appeared in a clearing in a forest. Sanguini and Greyback were already present there. He nodded his head to acknowledge their presence. After splitting the shirt in two, he handed them both a piece. The vampires and werewolves were naturally adept at tracking. He was certain that they would be able to track Harry through his scent. Sanguini vanished and Greyback disappeared into the trees. Voldemort stood there and stared up at the sky. It had been five hours and every minute had been excruciating. He closed his eyes and called out to Harry in his mind, hoping against hope that the mind link would be activated. He searched for Harry’s thoughts but he was met with only silence. His heart hammered in his chest. He told himself that he was not afraid. He was Lord Voldemort. Even death cowered at his feet.

He slumped against a tree as his resolve crumbled. He was lying to himself. He was afraid. Perhaps for the first time in his life, he was afraid for someone else’s well-being. Not just someone, he was afraid for his Harry’s well-being. What if he was already………NO…. Harry could not die. Harry would not die. He opened his eyes and stared at the purple sky. Dusk was approaching. If the sun went down and Harry was still not found. He would have to assume the worst. He wrenched his gaze away from the sky and disapparated.

Draco was inexplicably bored. He would have been better off at his own manor. He knew that he was supposed to savour every minute of life he had got left, but this was not how he had planned to savour it. Where was Snape anyway? He was probably working in his precious cellar.  The house stood at least two stories high, as a hidden door set in the wall of books revealed a narrow, ascending staircase, while another that leads to a storeroom. Draco stood up from his chair and pulled a book. It was time to get his Godfather’s attention.

Harry was drifting in a world of hazy insanity, where nothing was what it was, and everything was what it wasn't and contrariwise, what it was it wouldn't be and what it wouldn't be it would. He was so lost that he doubted he would ever find his way back. Where was he supposed to return to again? Suddenly a voice, a magical voice filled his world. His name………Was his name really Harry? The voice called out to him. Was that where he was supposed to return? Was he supposed to follow the voice? Could he trust it? No…………No…………he wouldn’t…………it was the darkness tricking him again. He would not get fooled again. He had to shut out the voice. He had to shut it out.

Draco descended down the dark staircase. He used his wand to light up the dark and continued to step carefully down the rickety, creaky stairs. He didn’t how long he continued to descend. He had never come this deep before. He stepped off the last stair and felt relief wash over him at the feeling of hard floor under his feet. The air was dank with the smell of mould and there was no light anywhere in sight. Why was it so dark here? How did Snape even work in so much dark? Draco thanked the heavens that he still had his wand.

He cautiously moved ahead in the wand light. But with every step he took, he felt an odd feeling in his stomach. What was wrong with him? Was he growing afraid of the dark? Definitely not. Where was Snape? It felt like he had been walking for ages but Snape was still nowhere in sight. He felt that ominous feeling in his heart and his stomach building up and reaching new heights. His heart was racing. He took the support of the wall and drew in several deep breaths. He had half a mind to go back the way he came but decided against it. He had come this far.

He continued to walk down the long never-ending tunnel of darkness until he saw a faint glow at a distance. He rushed towards it. Finally, he had found Snape. The earth slipped from beneath his feet when he reached the spot where the glow was emanating from. His knees softened and he nearly collapsed on his knees at what he saw.


	83. Chapter 83

Draco took several steps back. He turned around and ran. He ran as fast as his feet allowed. He ran like he had never ran before. He sprinted up the stairs and only stopped when he was back in the living room. He collapsed on the sofa, clutched his chest and drew in several deep breaths. A hand on his shoulder made his breath catch in his throat. He stared dead ahead and didn’t dare look behind him. Snape’s curt voice spoke in his ear,

“Draco, go to your room and sleep.”

Draco sat frozen to the spot. He didn’t know what to think. What was he supposed to think? Snape squeezed his shoulder,

“You saw nothing, Draco.”

Draco stood up quietly and walked up the staircase that led to the upper storey. He opened the first door and walked into the room. After locking the door, he collapsed on his knees and clutched his head. The image of Harry chained in that cell was burned permanently in his mind and he couldn’t shake it off. The Dark Lord was probably turning the world upside down in his search for Harry. What was he supposed to do? What could he do? He had to find out what Snape was planning? He just had to find out. He hoped that Snape was doing all this to protect Harry. But if he was protecting Harry then why keep him chained? It didn’t make any sense.

Draco stood up and paced the room restlessly. What was he going to do? He had to do something. He just couldn’t sit idly. But he had to know what Snape was planning before he did anything. He had to act rationally. He drew a deep breath and exited the room.

Draco made his way back down to the living room and found Snape seated on the armchair with a newspaper in his hand,

“Professor, I want to know what you’re going to do with him?”

Snape looked up from the newspaper and regarded Draco with mild amusement,

“Draco, come and take a seat.”

Draco sat down on the sofa and looked at his feet. He decided to speak,

“I just want him to suffer. He is the reason, the Dark Lord placed a death sentence on me. He is the reason I am going to die. If anyone deserves to die, it’s him.”

A sneer crossed Snape’s thin lips and he stood up,

“Draco, do not worry. Potter’s death is certain.”

Draco looked up,

“How professor?”

Snape had his hands folded behind his back and stared at the bookshelf,

“Basilisk Venom. I am in the process of extracting it at present. It shall be …………...”

He broke off in mid-sentence as the ringing of a tiny bell filled the living room. Snape looked at his watch and then turned to Draco,

“The process is complete. Go to your room, Draco. You shall be avenged very soon.”

Draco stood up and left. Snape waved his wand and a flask full of emerald green liquid appeared in his hand. He observed it carefully and then vanished it. Basilisk Venom was the only thing powerful enough to destroy the horcrux. Dumbledore was of the opinion that a killing curse would not suffice. He was aware of the fact that the Basilisk Venom was the strongest of poisons. The venom was so potent that it would burn his insides upon ingestion. It would be a painful way to die but it had to be done.

Killing Potter was necessary. The boy had a piece of the Dark Lord’s soul living inside of him. The Dark Lord could never be defeated while the boy lived. He would have to die. Lily would have done the same. He had even blindfolded the boy, just so that he wouldn’t have to look at those eyes…………Lily’s eyes. He knew that one look at them would have weakened him. One look would have crumbled his resolve. The boy was a monster’s lifeline. He had to be killed. Snape made his way down the steps towards the cell. He would not waste any more time.

Draco reached the bedroom again. He locked the door and made his way to the bed. How had he gotten trapped in a situation like this? What was he supposed to do? Snape was going to kill Harry. Should he inform Voldemort? That would surely nullify the death sentence he had placed on him. But what about Harry? Could he really condemn Harry to that hell again? He had seen how the Dark Lord had treated him. Wasn’t it better for Harry to die at Snape’s hands?

Death wasn’t better. What if he helped Harry escape? But Harry wasn’t in any condition to escape. He had looked pale and gaunt in the dim light of the cell and he hadn’t been in his senses. So, what if he helped him escape? The Dark Lord would find them eventually. There wasn’t anywhere that they could run. And if the Dark Lord found him with Harry, he would most definitely skin him alive. No, he couldn’t risk his neck for Harry. Harry was doomed in any case. Whether he stayed here and died at Snape’s hands or he returned to the Dark Lord and endured all his tortures. What was the best option then?

Snape made his way to the cell and unlocked the cell door. The door swung open with a rusty creak and Snape stepped inside. He walked towards the chained form against the wall. He studied him closely. It had been necessary to induce temporary insanity upon him, otherwise the Dark Lord might have used the mind link he shared with Potter to locate him.

His hand gripped Harry’s wrist and he felt his pulse. His heart would soon stop beating. He wished it hadn’t been this way. Lily had loved the child more than anything else in the world. She had given her life for him. The boy should have died fifteen years ago. He shouldn’t have been born. Lily would still be alive if it hadn’t been for the boy. But it was time to right the wrongs. It was time to correct everything. Snape moved his hand from the wrist to the ring on Harry’s finger. He would kill two pieces of soul with one stone. He conjured the flask and held it close to Harry’s lips,

“I am truly sorry for this, Potter. I wish circumstances were different but I cannot let Lily’s sacrifice go in vain. As long as you continue to breathe, the Dark Lord shall continue to grow in strength. Lily gave her life so that the Dark Lord would fall and he can only fall if you die.”

Draco stood up. He had to make a decision. It was either Harry’s life or his. There was absolutely no intermediate way.


	84. Chapter 84

Draco stood in the middle of the room. His finger hovered over the dark mark on his forearm. He was still uncertain about his decision. But he had to do it. He had to save himself. He just had to save himself. He pressed his finger to the dark mark and immediately a wave of excruciating pain radiated from it. He collapsed on his knees and clutched his forearm to his chest.

Snape had been about to tip the flask when pain, sudden and intolerable exuded from the dark mark. He gasped and the flask fell from his fingers and shattered on the ground. He stared at it in disbelief. What had happened? Had the Dark Lord found out? He was about to take out his wand when a loud bang resonated above him. The Dark Lord was here. There was no escape for him. He searched through his robes and found the small phial, he was looking for. He uncorked it and emptied the contents in his mouth and swallowed it.

Voldemort was concentrating on the mind link when he felt the call. He opened his eyes and felt unimaginable triumph. Harry had been located. He summoned his death eaters and disapparated. Whoever had taken Harry would pay dearly.

He appeared at Spinner’s end and he felt uncontrollable rage burn through him. Snape…………...He would ensure that Snape died in the most painful way imaginable. His death eaters appeared behind him and he heard them murmuring, as they recognized the location. He issued one order,

“I WANT SNAPE ALIVE!!!”

He pointed his wand at the entrance and blew it apart. His death eaters marched in and began to search the house. He moved inside and tried to feel Harry’s presence. Draco rushed down the stairs and fell at his feet. He kissed them and murmured,

“My lord. I informed you as soon as I found out.”

Voldemort looked down at him and smirked. Draco had earned his life,

“You have done good, Draco. May your loyalty never waver again.”

Draco kissed his feet again and again,

“Thank you, my lord. You are too kind.”

Voldemort stepped away from Draco and stepped down the stairs. He moved through the underground tunnel and saw his death eaters at the end of it. They stepped back as he approached. Voldemort moved inside a cell and his gaze found Harry, chained to the wall and blindfolded. The gentle rising and falling of his chest told him that he was alive. He looked around the cell and his gaze found Snape lying on the floor and clutching his throat. The fool had tried to poison himself. He smirked and moved towards him. After grabbing him by the hair, he conjured a bezoar and forced it down his throat,

“I shall not allow you to die yet, Severus. You have yet to pay me for your treachery.”

He signalled his death eaters to take him away. His attention moved back towards Harry. He stepped close to him and pulled away the blindfold. His gaze took in Harry’s pale features and his smirk widened. He was ecstatic. Why shouldn’t he be? He had just gotten his most prized possession back, safe and sound. Draco would be rewarded. Yes, he would reward him beyond his wildest dreams. He caressed Harry’s cheek softly and vanished the chains with a wave of his wand. His arms wrapped around Harry’s frail form and he picked him up.

He noticed a shattered flask on the floor. He pointed his wand at the liquid spilled on the floor and siphoned it into an empty phial. He had a feeling it would be useful later.

Narcissa hugged Draco. The Dark Lord had spared her son. She had to offer her gratitude. But no amount of gratitude would be enough. There was no limit to her happiness at the moment. She saw the Dark Lord emerge from the staircase holding Harry’s limp form in his arms. The jubilance was radiating from his face. She had never seen the Dark Lord so happy before. The Dark Lord looked at his followers,

“A celebration is in order. Narcissa, I believe that you have many preparations to make for the night.”

Narcissa kissed his feet and spoke,

“Yes, my lord. Everything shall be marvellous.”

She disapparated with Draco and Lucius. Voldemort looked around at his followers,

“Tonight, we shall celebrate.”

The death eaters cheered and Voldemort dismissed them with a wave of his hand. He disapparated with Harry and appeared in his room. He sat down on the edge of the bed and held Harry close to him. He felt the gentle beating of his heart and felt a rush of happiness move through his body at every beat. He kissed Harry’s lips and savoured their warmth. He deepened the kiss and felt pleasure course through his body. He held Harry close to his chest. Harry had become his need. He wasn’t proud of it but it was true. He buried his face in the crook of Harry’s neck and breathed in his scent. He had missed having him close. Even though it had only been for six hours, he had missed him.

He didn’t know how long he just sat there and held Harry close to him. He still wasn’t content. He would never grow content of these sensations. Somehow, he didn’t want to let Harry out of his arms. It felt as if someone would snatch Harry away from him as soon as he would release him. He wouldn’t let him out of his arms. No, he was acting unreasonably. Nothing could take Harry away from him.

Today’s incident had proven to him that Harry was vulnerable. No matter how much protection, he provided him, Harry would still not be safe. He was immortal but Harry wasn’t. Harry was not immune to death as he was. It was the first cause of concern and great apprehension for him. He would have to do something about it. He would not rest until he had secured Harry’s life in every way possible. He looked for Harry’s thoughts, his dreams…………. anything but Harry’s mind was completely blank and his thoughts were oddly silent. That was the second cause of his concern. His hand moved through Harry’s unruly hair and he kissed his head softly,

“Wake up, Harry. I need to see you awake.”


	85. Chapter 85

Voldemort had his eyes closed. His arms were wrapped around Harry and his head was rested against the back of the bed. His eyes shot open as he heard the soft murmuring of Harry’s thoughts. He looked at Harry and felt relief wash over him. Harry’s thoughts were slowly returning. Even though at the moment, they were nothing but a tangled mess, but anything was better than the silence that had occupied Harry’s mind. He looked at the clock, there was still plenty of time till the feast. He was certain that Harry would be awake by then.

He gently lifted Harry’s head from his lap and rested it on the pillow. After pulling the covers over him, he gently kissed his forehead. He cast several wards around the bed and then disapparated. He appeared at Malfoy Manor, where he was instantly greeted by Lucius Malfoy. Lucius was about to speak when Voldemort raised his hand,

“The prisoners, where are they?”

Lucius kept his gaze down and spoke,

“They are in the cellar, my lord.”

Voldemort swept past him and moved down the stairs. He unlocked the wrought iron gate with a wave of his wand and entered the dark cellar. He lit his wand and the light illuminated the dark cellar. Every single order member that had attended the funeral was locked here. He had heard that Bellatrix had nearly tortured one of the blood traitors into insanity. He had no remorse regarding that. She had performed her job well. He heard sobbing coming from the corner and disregarded it. He spoke,

“You may not be aware but Harry has been found. He is safe and quite unharmed.”

He heard sighs of relief and the sobbing stopped. Voldemort continued,

“I have arranged a feast to celebrate Harry’s safe return. You shall all attend it. Afterwards you shall be free to go.”

He stepped out of the cellar and left the gate unlocked. He moved back to the living room. Lucius Malfoy followed him. He turned to him and spoke,

“I want you to be hospitable with the order members. Make sure they are well taken care of.”

Avery hurried towards him,

“Lord Sanguini wishes to have a word with you, my lord.”

Voldemort dismissed him and walked up the steps towards his office. He still used Malfoy Manor as headquarters. He had planned to move the headquarters to his castle but that was before Harry had surrendered himself. Now, he had no intentions of ever giving away the location of his castle to anyone else, not even his most trusted death eaters.

He stepped into a lavishly decorated office. Sanguini saw him approach and turned towards him,

“How is he?”

Voldemort moved towards a leather arm chair and sat down. He signalled Sanguini to do the same. When they were both seated, he spoke,

“Harry is recovering. The reward for your assistance has already been delivered to your castle.”

Sanguini nodded his head,

“Yes, it has and It was more than we had decided on, Lord Voldemort.”

Voldemort smirked,

“Has your thirst for blood diminished?”

Sanguini chuckled and spoke,

“There can never be enough blood, Lord Voldemort. Our alliance is proving to be quite fruitful.”

Voldemort regarded Sanguini and then spoke,

“I wish to discuss a highly sensitive matter with you.”

Sanguini leaned closer and spoke,

“You have my undivided attention.”

Voldemort’s smirk grew as he began to explain the matter.

Harry’s eyes shot open and a silent scream escaped his lips. His eyes took in the ceiling. He turned his head and it all began to come back to him. He moved his arms and looked at his wrists. There were no more chains, no blindfolds, no impenetrable darkness and no nerve wrecking silence. He wasn’t insane or going insane. He closed his eyes. What if all of this was a trick? Was the darkness fooling him again? It was………………. The darkness was playing with him. His arms wrapped around himself and he curled up into a tight ball. This wasn’t real. It wasn’t real. The darkness would return. It would consume him again. He would be lost in that never-ending world again.

Voldemort was leaning back in the arm chair and recalling his discussion with Sanguini. The discussion had been productive and he was pleased with the outcome and his decision. He looked at the clock and decided to check on Harry. He disapparated immediately.

He appeared in the room and what he saw, made his brow furrow with concern. Harry was curled up on the bed and muttering something over and over again. Voldemort drew close to him and sat down on the edge of the bed. He tried to listen to Harry’s thoughts but they were still jumbled and indiscernible. What was wrong with him? He was about to touch him but then pulled his hand away and decided to speak first,

“Harry, are you alright?”

Harry’s murmuring stopped immediately and he grew still. After a few minutes of silence, he curled into an even tighter ball and his muttering grew loud. Now Voldemort could hear what Harry was saying,

“This isn’t real…………. this isn’t real………………...this isn’t real………”

Voldemort rested his hand carefully on Harry’s head and spoke softly,

“Harry, it is real. You’re safe.”

Harry immediately recoiled at his touch and held himself tighter,

“Stop………...Just stop it………..Stop tricking me………leave me alone……”

Voldemort stroked Harry’s cheek softly and spoke again,

“Harry, you were saved. You are safe.”

A despair filled cry escaped Harry’s lips,

“No…………….he forgot me too………….he abandoned me…..just like Dumbledore…………”

Voldemort felt rage at the mention of Dumbledore’s name. He felt angry at the fact that Harry had thought he had abandoned him. But he repressed all of it. He knew that he had to do something. It seemed Harry’s mind was suspended between the real world and his imagination. Being gentle wasn’t an option. His grip tightened on Harry’s hair and Harry gasped in pain as Voldemort pulled his hair back,

“Harry, this is real. Do you understand that?”

Something inside Harry shifted. His thoughts began to reorder themselves and Voldemort smirked in satisfaction.

Harry looked up and when his emerald green eyes met Voldemort’s crimson orbs, he remembered everything. He remembered where he was, who he was and what he was doing here. He realized that this was real. It was all real. He was no longer chained in a cell. He had been saved.

Voldemort kept his grip on Harry’s hair and spoke,

“I asked you a question.”

Harry blinked several times. His eyes watered with the pain and he was forced to meet Voldemort’s gaze. He tried to find the words. He tried to say something and finally managed to get some words out,

“I understand.”

Voldemort loosened his grip on Harry’s hair and pulled him close,

“Are you happy to be back, Harry?”

Harry didn’t know what to feel. He felt so disoriented, like he had been spinning in circles. He kept his lips shut and hoped Voldemort picked up on his unsettled mind. He closed his eyes and felt Voldemort’s arms wrap around his waist and pull him in an embrace. He didn’t know what made him rest his head on Voldemort’s shoulder and speak up. But he did and he spoke,

“I thought you had abandoned me…...just like……………...”

Voldemort rested his finger on Harry’s lips and silenced him,

“I shall never abandon you. That is my promise to you, Harry.”


	86. Chapter 86

Voldemort moved his fingers through Harry’s hair and kissed his head softly. Harry wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. His head was aching like hell and he felt extremely exhausted. Harry closed his eyes and nearly dozed off. Voldemort felt Harry’s posture grow relaxed and he knew that Harry was feeling asleep but he couldn’t allow it,

“Harry, wake up. You cannot sleep at the moment.”

Harry’s eyes opened and he sat up straighter or at least attempted to. Voldemort conjured a potion and held it to Harry’s lips. Harry drew back as soon as he felt the glass flask touch his lips. He remembered that whoever had taken him, had fed him a potion. Voldemort made Harry meet his gaze,

“You need to drink this.”

Harry drank the potion wordlessly. As soon as he swallowed it, he felt more alert and he felt his thought process begin anew. He straightened up and he felt his mind beginning to work,

“Who took me?”

Voldemort smirked at that and stood up,

“That matter is not up for discussion. Right now, you have to get ready.”

Harry felt puzzled,

“But why?”

Voldemort conjured a pair of Royal blue dress robes,

“I have arranged a feast in order to celebrate your safe return.”

Harry got out of bed, but as soon as he stood up, his head spun. Voldemort wrapped an arm around his waist,

“Steady, Harry.”

Voldemort waved his wand and vanished Harry’s robes. He applied a cleaning charm on his shirt and jeans. Once done, Voldemort pulled the blue robes over his shoulders. Harry felt like a doll in Voldemort’s hands. The potion had gotten his brain to start working, but it hadn’t done anything about his exhaustion. Voldemort moved the comb through his unruly, messy hair. Harry looked at himself in the mirror. He looked presentable enough on the outside but on the inside, he wanted nothing more than to rest for a bit,

“Harry, you can rest as much as you want later.”

Another question arose in Harry’s mind and he voiced it,

“Could you hear my thoughts when I was gone?”

Voldemort stared at Harry and Harry saw anger flare up in his eyes. Harry looked away and he knew that Voldemort hadn’t been able to read his thoughts. Voldemort took Harry’s arm and disapparated. They appeared in the same ballroom that Harry had been in several times. It was heavily decorated with candles and crystal ornaments that shone like diamonds when the light illuminated them.

The light was too blinding. Harry closed his eyes. Voldemort sensed Harry’s discomfort and vanished the extra lights with a wave of his wand. Narcissa and Lucius rushed towards Voldemort and kissed his feet. They repeated the same process with Harry. Harry couldn’t step back even though he had wanted to. Voldemort raised his hand and spoke,

“Where is Draco?”

Harry felt his heart jump to his throat at the mention of Draco’s name. He had forgotten about the death sentence Voldemort had placed on him. Was Voldemort going to kill him here? Draco appeared through the crowd and Harry noticed that he was well dressed and there wasn’t a hint of fear in his eyes or his face. He kneeled in front of Voldemort and kissed his feet and then he kissed Harry’,

“Greetings, my lord.”

Voldemort smirked and acknowledged his greeting. He stepped away from Draco and spoke to him,

“Draco, tell Harry about what happened to your death sentence.”

Draco didn’t look up at Harry,

“My lord, The Dark lord has spared me.”

Harry turned to Voldemort and looked at him in surprise,

“Really?”

Voldemort rested his hand on Harry’s cheek and spoke softly,

“Are you happy, Harry?”

Harry met Voldemort’s crimson gaze and he nodded his head but he was puzzled. This was the second time, Voldemort had asked him if he was happy. His happiness did not matter. Voldemort had made it very clear. But then why did he keep asking him about it? Voldemort led him away from Draco towards the place where Sirius was standing with Remus and other order members.

Sirius rushed towards Harry as soon as he saw him approach. Harry saw concern in his eyes and he smiled despite his exhaustion,

“Harry, are you alright?”

Harry nodded his head and spoke,

“I’m fine, Sirius. Don’t worry.”

Sirius passed him a strained smile and stepped away. Harry knew it was a wise decision considering that Voldemort wasn’t prepared to leave his side for a second. Harry saw Sanguini approach them. Voldemort said nothing. Sanguini approached Harry, took his hand and kissed the ring,

“How are you feeling, Lord Harry?”

Harry couldn’t get his head around the fact that more people were acknowledging him as a Lord. He smiled weakly and replied,

“I’m fine, Lord Sanguini.”

Sanguini clapped his hand in delight and spoke,

“Excellent. Well you shall be seeing a lot of me in the next few days, Lord Harry. See you then.”

Sanguini walked away from them. The statement left Harry confused for a bit but he shrugged it off. It was definitely because of the alliance. Voldemort led Harry to a chair,

“Sit, Harry.”

Harry sat down. Voldemort sat beside him on a throne and exchanged snippets of conversations with different people. Harry closed his eyes. The conversation sounded too distant. He rested his head against the cushy back of the armchair and felt himself drifting off. He felt a hand take his wrist and a distant voice pulled him back. He opened his eyes and saw Luna standing in front of him. Harry rubbed his eyes and repressed a yawn. Luna spoke,

“Harry, how are you?”

Harry looked up at her and replied slowly,

“I’m fine, I guess. Just exhausted.”

Luna smiled knowingly,

“Don’t fall asleep yet, Harry. There are so many people here that want to talk to you.”

Harry looked down at his feet,

“Like who?”

Instead of answering that she turned to Voldemort,

“I hope you will heed my future warnings, Lord Voldemort.”

Voldemort met Luna’s gaze and spoke in a stern tone,

“Do not tell me what to do, Miss Lovegood.”

Luna raised an eyebrow and spoke,

“I am not telling you what to do. I am merely warning you about what the future holds. You have seen the result of not heeding my warning.”

Harry was surprised by how dominant Luna sounded. Luna passed Voldemort a cold look and walked away. When Harry looked beside him, Voldemort was already engaged in another conversation with a Veela. After listening to meaningless political banter, Harry sighed in relief when it ended. Voldemort turned towards Harry and asked him,

“Are you getting bored, Harry?”

He wasn’t bored, he was just tired. All he wanted was to be back in his room, in his bed and sleep. Harry stopped in mid thought………Had he just referred to Voldemort’s room, as his room and Voldemort’s bed as his bed. He must really be going insane.  


	87. Chapter 87

Harry shook his head and shrugged it off. He couldn’t afford to think like that. An elf appeared beside them, holding a tray laden with drinks. Voldemort picked up a glass full of blood red liquid and Harry recognized it as Blood wine. The elf moved towards him, Harry was about to decline when Voldemort spoke,

“Pick a drink, Harry.”

Harry looked at the assortment of drinks. He didn’t know whether he should drink or not. Voldemort picked a goblet from the tray and handed it to Harry. Harry took it and observed the amber coloured contents. He couldn’t help but ask,

“What is this?”  

Voldemort took a sip from his glass and replied,

“It is elf made wine.”

Harry took a sip and realized that it was sweet. He had imagined it to be bitter. Harry finished his drink in three sips. He had definitely been thirsty. Voldemort noticed Harry’s empty glass and refilled it with his wand.

Harry stared in surprise at his refilled glass and wondered if he really should drink more. He didn’t want to but something about that sweetness made him want more. He decided not to worry about the consequences and downed the drink in one. Harry closed his eyes and savoured the saccharinity. Harry felt a pleasant humming in his head. It was wonderful.

Voldemort snapped his fingers and Harry’s eyes snapped open. Voldemort was standing in front of him. He vanished the empty goblet from Harry’s hand. Harry stood up slowly. He didn’t want to fall again. Voldemort wrapped his arm around Harry’s waist and whispered in his ear,

“You can have more wine after dinner.”

Voldemort led him to the dining hall. Harry looked up at the platform and remembered the last time, he had been up there. His eyes flashed to the ring on his finger for only a split second. He had accepted that long ago. Voldemort led him up the platform. He kept his arm around Harry and waited for the crowd to assemble in the hall. Harry saw Sirius and Remus standing in the corner of a hall. He wanted to talk to them. He wanted Sirius to hug him.

Voldemort picked up on Harry’s thoughts. It made him think about whether he should allow Harry to have some time with his Godfather. Harry had been through a terrible ordeal today and he felt that it was only fair that Harry got what he wanted today. Voldemort kissed Harry on the head and spoke,

“Harry, you may spend some time with your Godfather, if you desire it.”

Harry felt extremely confused. Was he hearing right? Was he drunk?  Why was Voldemort being so nice? Was all of this nothing but a hallucination? Would he wake up in that darkness again? No………No he didn’t want to be back there. He couldn’t take any more of that nerve grating silence.

Voldemort felt Harry’s thoughts before he heard them. His grip tightened around Harry’s waist. He would not allow Harry to go back to that state of mind. He could not allow it. After casting a privacy barrier, he pulled Harry close to him and made him meet his gaze

“Harry, listen to me. Look at me. This is real. You are not hallucinating.”

Harry drew several deep breaths as he buried his face in Voldemort’s chest. Voldemort wrapped his arms around Harry, held him tight and kept repeating the same thing over and over again,

“It is all real. You are safe. I will not allow anyone to hurt you.”

Harry wanted his mind to just shut down. He was no longer aware of where he was or what he was doing there. He didn’t know who was holding him or calming him. It didn’t matter. He just wanted to pass out.

Voldemort summoned a divan and pulled Harry down on it. He rubbed Harry’s back softly in an attempt to soothe him. Harry was calming down. Voldemort kissed Harry’s head softly. He was concerned for Harry’s mental well-being. What had Snape done to him? Harry had breakdowns before but they had never been this severe. Harry needed rest more than anything else,

“Harry, are you alright?”

Harry didn’t acknowledge the question. Voldemort sighed and summoned a glass of elf made wine, in the hope that it would soothe Harry to some extent. He held it close to Harry’s lips and tipped it slightly. He felt Harry stir and smiled in satisfaction. Harry was recovering. He tipped it more and Harry drank. Once the goblet was empty, Harry sat up straight and shook his head,

“What happened?”

Voldemort refilled the goblet and held it to Harry. Harry took it and drank it. Once the goblet was empty, Voldemort took it away and vanished it,

“Are you feeling better, Harry?”

Harry nodded his head. He was feeling light headed but it was better than feeling exhausted. He stood up on his own. Voldemort stood as well and brought down the privacy barrier. His arm snaked around Harry’s waist again and he spoke,

“We are gathered here today to celebrate my spouse’s safe return.”

Voldemort waved his wand and drinks appeared in everyone’s hand including Harry’s,

“I propose a toast to Harry’s health and never-ending life. Cheers.”

Voldemort raised his glass and everyone did the same and repeated the word,

“Cheers.”

Harry drank the sweet, sugary liquid in one. He had definitely found his favourite drink. Voldemort led Harry to a chair and made him sit down,

“Sit, Harry.”

Voldemort waved his wand and food appeared on every table,

“Let the feast begin.”

A salad appeared in front of Harry. Harry heard his stomach grumble. He was definitely hungry. Voldemort vanished the salad and replaced it with a piece of roast chicken and veggies,

“You need to eat, Harry.”

Harry picked up his knife and fork and dug into his meal. He felt his hunger increase tenfold as he took the first bite. Harry had a clean plate in less than five minutes,

“Do you want seconds, Harry.”

Harry shook his head. He had eaten too much, too fast and now his stomach was protesting. Maybe it was because of all the drinks he had had. Voldemort summoned a potion and slid it across the table,

“Harry, drink.”

Harry looked at it for a while and then drank it. His urge to vomit vanished and Harry felt marginally better.  Voldemort vanished the empty flask and replaced the empty plate in front of Harry with a plate laden with a cake slice. He picked up a fork and ate his cake in silence.

Voldemort was satisfied with the fact that Harry had finally gotten some solid food down his throat. He was certain that Harry would recover now. He hoped that he would recover now. He couldn’t bear to see Harry in that tormented state anymore. It was different when he caused the torment but watching Harry being tormented by someone else was a completely different case. He would not tolerate it.


	88. Chapter 88

Harry was leaning back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. He didn’t feel sick anymore. The humming in his head had grown and he felt weightless. It was as if he was floating on air.

Voldemort watched Harry and he was certain that Harry was intoxicated from all the wine that he had downed. He stood up and moved towards Harry. He bent down over him so that Harry’s view of the ceiling was blocked. He looked deep into Harry’s emerald gaze and spoke,

“Are you ready to go home?”

Harry didn’t break the eye contact. There was something in those crimson eyes that he couldn’t recognize. He nodded his head wordlessly. Voldemort took his hand gently and raised him up on his feet. Harry felt the world spin around him and he held onto Voldemort to steady himself. Voldemort smirked and held Harry close to him. They disapparated and appeared in their bedroom.

Harry felt unsteady as his feet landed on the carpeted floor. Voldemort held onto him. Harry pulled away and met Voldemort’s gaze again. He wanted to know what was in those eyes. His gaze landed on Voldemort’s soft lips and he wanted something. In a heartbeat, he had leaned forward and planted his lips on Voldemort’s. Voldemort pulled Harry closer to him and deepened the kiss. Harry reciprocated and kissed him back.

Voldemort felt an unknown pleasure rushing through his body. For some reason, he never wanted the kiss to end. He kept his lips firmly planted on Harry’s. There had never been a more perfect moment in his life. He was aware of the fact that Harry wasn’t in his senses. He was intoxicated and inebriated. This moment would’ve never happened if Harry was in his senses. It made his heart ache but he vowed to himself that he would make that day come when Harry would kiss him willingly. But for now he would not waste the opportunity. His hands moved over Harry’s body while he kissed him with renewed passion.

Harry didn’t know what was happening but he knew that he had never felt this good before. His hands moved from Voldemort’s shoulders to his waist. He felt a burning feeling in his chest. He wanted more. He wanted to feel Voldemort’s impossibly perfect body. He pulled off Voldemort’s robes and let them drop to the floor.

Voldemort felt Harry’s hand pull off his robes and he felt his desire increase tenfold. He pulled off Harry’s robes and slowly worked on the buttons of his shirt. Voldemort kept his lips attached to Harry and succeeded in pulling off his shirt. His hands moved over Harry’s bare torso and he felt aroused. He carried Harry in his arms and took him to the bed. Harry wrapped his arms around Voldemort’s shoulders.

Voldemort laid Harry back on the bed and pulled his lips away. He tied his hair back in a ponytail and vanished his shirt. He came over Harry and straddled him. Harry held Voldemort by his waist and kissed his neck. Voldemort bent down over Harry and kissed his forehead. Harry breathed in Voldemort’s exquisite scent and he felt his passion intensify. The skin on skin contact was too overwhelming. He didn’t want it to end.

Voldemort felt Harry’s arousal and he felt his body burn with passion. He had never imagined this to be so good. He grabbed Harry around the waist and pressed his body to Harry’s. Harry moaned and Voldemort engrossed Harry’s lips with his again. That sound was the most beautiful sound that he had heard. He vanished both their pants.

Harry felt the cool air strike his naked body and he moaned again. Voldemort pressed his naked body to Harry’s and Harry relished the warmth of Voldemort’s body. All of this was so new, so wonderful that Harry wanted it to go forever.

Voldemort trailed kisses down Harry’s body. He kissed his cheeks, his neck, his arms, his chest and his stomach. Harry moaned through it all. He moaned at very kiss. He moaned at every touch. It was as if his body was hypersensitive and everything seemed ten times more pleasurable. Harry felt Voldemort’s erection rub against his belly and he felt his own erection grow. Voldemort moved his fingers over Harry’s hardened member and Harry moaned louder than before. Voldemort rubbed his erection against Harry’s and Harry arched his back and cried out in pleasure.

Voldemort spread Harry’s legs and exposed his entrance. Voldemort bit on his lower lip to repress a moan of his own. He rubbed the precum over the entrance and felt Harry’s body tremble with pleasure. He knew that Harry desperately wanted him to penetrate him and he would not deny that wish. After he was certain that Harry was well lubricated, he rubbed his erection against Harry’s entrance and Harry’s moans grew louder. Voldemort kissed Harry’s lips and thrust his erection against Harry’s entrance. Harry was wonderfully tight and that only served to increase his desire.

Harry cried out louder than ever as Voldemort entered him. His cries of pleasure were drowned out by Voldemort’s kiss. Voldemort moved his body against Harry’s and thrust deeper into him. Harry felt as if his body was burning up with pleasure. His hands held onto Voldemort’s shoulder as Voldemort continued to drive into him. Harry felt the pleasure peaking and he felt as if he wouldn’t be able to hold it back anymore.

Voldemort quickened his pace and Harry cries grew into screams. His nails dug into Voldemort’s shoulders as he felt overwhelmed by the pleasure. It was too much. Voldemort’s felt himself reaching his own climax and he knew that Harry was close as well. His hand moved to Harry’s erect member and he rubbed it slowly. Voldemort groaned in pleasure as he felt Harry’s erection throb. He doubled his speed and after a few final thrusts, came inside Harry. He stayed still for a few minutes. The wetness told him that Harry had orgasmed as well. He drew away his lips from Harry’s and breathed. Harry took several deep breaths as well.

After cleaning them up with a wave of his wand, he laid down beside Harry and pulled him close. Harry instantly wrapped his arm around him and rested his head on his shoulder. Voldemort kissed Harry’s head softly and pulled the covers over them. After a few minutes, Harry passed out completely.

Voldemort moved his fingers through Harry’s hair and smiled. This was definitely the most perfect moment of his life. He had never felt more complete before. His hold tightened around Harry and kissed his parted lips. He felt an unknown strength rushing through his body. It made him curious. Had he just bonded with the piece of his soul inside Harry and the ring in some way or was it something completely different? He did not like not knowing but he would make an exception in this case. Harry was his mystery and he adored him the way he was.

He closed his eyes. How would Harry react upon awakening tomorrow? He felt a slight twinge in his heart at the thought of that. Harry would not remember the perfection of the moment. He would not remember the passion that they had shared or the pleasure that they had elicited from each other. He shook his head. It did not matter. He felt the warmth radiating from Harry’s naked body and he breathed in Harry’s scent. Voldemort held him closer and kissed the scar on his forehead. All that mattered was this moment and he intended to savour it to the fullest. 


	89. Chapter 89

As soon as Harry regained his senses, his first urge was too vomit and he did.

Voldemort held the bowl close to Harry’s mouth, as he vomited. He had expected that. Harry had had too much wine last night. Once Harry was done, he vanished the bowl and wiped Harry’s mouth.

Harry slumped back in bed and drew several deep breaths. After he felt a bit stable, he realized with a jolt that he was naked. His breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes. His hands clutched the covers tightly and he felt tears slip through his closed lashes.

Voldemort wiped away the tears before they could slip down Harry’s cheeks. He had seen enough of those.

Harry felt them being wiped away and a choked, broken sob escaped his lips. He was trying to remember how it had happened. Any small detail, a flash……something………anything. He needed to know how it had happened but he couldn’t remember. He couldn’t remember anything. This was all his fault. He had had too much to drink. He had deliberately overlooked the consequences so now he would just have to bear them. Harry opened his eyes and stared into Voldemort’s crimson orbs. Voldemort spoke,

“Harry…………”

Harry sat up straight and spoke,

“Don’t………. Just don’t………I know what you’re going to say. I know you’re going to tell me how you conquered me again. I know you’re going to tell me that I’m yours. Well save it. I know I’m yours. I know you’ve conquered me. I don’t need to be reminded of it every day. I have this ring for that.”

Harry held up his hand and showed Voldemort the ring.

Voldemort gripped Harry’s jaw in a bone shattering grip and spoke,

“Harry, I shall not allow you to take that tone with me. You do know what I’m capable of. You do know that I can do far worse with you”

Harry felt the pain radiating from his jaw. He realized now that he had said too much. He nodded his head quietly. Voldemort released his jaw and pushed him back on the bed. He straddled him and spoke,

“I want you to say something for me, Harry. It shall result in the safety of Remus Lupin. Do you remember what you promised me in exchange for not bestowing him with the dark mark?”

Harry felt fear pumping through his veins. His heart was beating at a hundred miles per hour and he was beyond terrified. Why had he even made that promise? Was he really that stupid? He was, wasn’t he. He was nothing more than a fool. Harry nodded his head again. Voldemort caressed Harry’s cheek and smirked maliciously,

“Good. Now, I want you to admit that you willingly had sexual intercourse with me last night.”

Harry closed his eyes and felt tears slide down his cheeks. He felt the heat radiating from Voldemort’s naked body and he felt uncomfortable. He wanted to be anywhere but this bed. He wanted to be miles away from Voldemort. A cry escaped his lips as Voldemort sank his nails in his jaw,

“Say it, Harry.”

Harry tried to speak but no sound came out. How could he say something like that? He couldn’t even imagine anything like it. Even the thought of it repulsed him. Voldemort nails sank deeper in his skin and Harry cried out in pain again,

“Stop thinking, Harry. You are making things far worse for yourself.”

 Harry stopped thinking. Voldemort pulled away his nails from Harry’s jaw and gripped his hair,

“Good boy, Now, speak.”

Harry drew a deep breath. This was for Remus,

“I…………. I willingly……….”

He broke down in mid-sentence and cried. Voldemort pulled back Harry’s hair and spoke again,

“I want to hear it in one coherent sentence. No pauses and no crying.”

Harry tried to control himself. He should have mastered this by now. When Harry didn’t speak for another few minutes. Voldemort tsked and got up from over him. He stood up and robed himself with a wave of his wand,

“I have run out of patience, Harry. I believe it is time for Remus Lupin to join my ranks.”

Harry sat up straight. He had assured Remus that he would save him. He had to say it. It was only a few words,

“No……. stop……...please. I’ll say anything.”

Voldemort didn’t turn around. Harry drew a deep breath and spoke,

“I willingly had sexual intercourse with you last night.”

Voldemort smirked. He hadn’t enjoyed hurting Harry as much as he had used to. But it had been necessary. He needed to keep Harry’s behaviour in check. He turned around and looked at Harry,

“Say it louder.”

Harry looked down in his lap and spoke louder,

“I willingly had sexual intercourse with you last night.”

Voldemort walked closer to Harry and wiped away the blood trickling down Harry’s neck,

“Very good, Harry. You just saved Remus Lupin.”

Harry slumped back in bed and closed his eyes. He clutched the covers close to him and tried to forget everything. Voldemort bent over him and stroked his hair softly,

“You need to get ready.”

Harry opened his eyes and spoke,

“For what?”

Voldemort kissed the top of Harry’s head,

“For your kidnapper’s sentencing.”

Harry stared off in the distance,

“Who kidnapped me?”

Harry heard Voldemort chuckle,

“It is a surprise for you, Harry.”

Harry didn’t feel any curiosity, he didn’t feel anything. He just felt numb. Voldemort stood up and spoke,

“I expect you to be ready upon my return”

Voldemort disapparated. Harry wrapped the covers around himself and made his way to the wardrobe. He pulled out the first pair of boxers he could find and wore them.

After half an hour, Harry was sitting completely showered and dressed at the edge of the bed. He hated himself but more than that he hated Voldemort. He just hated him. Why couldn’t the man just die?

Harry punched the pillow again and again. How low was we going to fall? How low was Voldemort going to make him fall? Harry stopped in mid punch as another thought crossed his mind. Voldemort had only made him say that…………. what if he had made him do it? What would he have done then? Harry felt his heart fill with horror when he realized the answer. Voldemort would make him do it sometime soon.

Harry groaned and punched the pillow harder. He would kill his mystery kidnapper with his own hands. How had they been so incompetent? How had they managed to not kill him when he had been weak and vulnerable?

Harry was about to hit the pillow again when it vanished. Harry looked up and found Voldemort standing behind him. He immediately looked down at his shoes,

“Harry, you were having some very interesting thoughts right now.”

Harry kept his head down. He was in trouble.


	90. Chapter 90

Harry was sitting in awkward silence with the Malfoys at a dining table. Voldemort was sitting beside him and they were supposed to be having breakfast but Harry didn’t have much of an appetite. Narcissa Malfoy kept offering him all sorts of breakfast items and Harry felt bad for her. Finally, he accepted a sandwich and saw relief break over her face.

 Harry nibbled silently on his sandwich while Voldemort discussed politics with Lucius and Draco. He didn’t even know what he was doing here. He felt like an uninvited guest. Harry had finished his sandwich and Voldemort signalled him to have another. Harry wanted to protest but he knew it would be useless so he just picked another from the plate and ate in silence.

Harry was fully aware of Bellatrix’s piercing glare on him. That glare had been fixed on him ever since he had stepped into the Manor. Harry didn’t even know why she resented him so much. She could have his place anytime.

Harry strongly felt out of place. The Malfoys were all acting so prim and proper. He had observed that they had a certain way of doing everything, from lifting the fork, to holding it. They even had a certain way of chewing their food. It was making him sick. He just wanted to get up and leave but he was aware that Voldemort wouldn’t appreciate a move like that.

After what felt like an eternity, Voldemort finished his breakfast and stood up. Harry breathed out a sigh of relief and followed suite,

“Lucius, we wish to spend some time with the prisoner alone. See to it that we are not disturbed.”

 Lucius Malfoy bowed and walked away. Voldemort led Harry through a labyrinth of corridors until they reached a reinforced metal door. Voldemort made a small cut in his thumb and held it to the door. The door glowed blue and opened with a loud clang. Voldemort walked and Harry hesitantly followed. It was dark. The room was completely dark. Voldemort waved his wand and immediately torches lit up around the room.

Harry was momentarily blinded by the sudden light but when his vision had adjusted he saw a shape chained to the wall. Harry stood a considerable distance away. His feet didn’t want to proceed ahead. Voldemort looked at the fearful expression on Harry’s face and smirked,

“Harry, go on and see who kidnapped you.”

Harry hesitantly approached the shape. He bent down infront of the man and saw who it was. Harry didn’t feel anything. He didn’t feel shock, he didn’t feel anger, he didn’t even feel sympathy. Harry got up to his feet calmly and withdrew,

“How do you feel, Harry?”

Harry kept his gaze fixed on Snape,

“I don’t know. I don’t feel anything.”

Voldemort drew closer to Harry and gently held his chin. He made him meet his crimson gaze,

“Tell me what he did to you.”

Harry looked into Voldemort’s eyes and spoke,

“You saw that through my memories.”

Voldemort’s grip tightened on Harry’s chin,

“I want to hear it from your lips.”

Harry knew that he would have to speak,

“He had me chained to a wall. Afterwards he blindfolded me and fed me a potion.”

Voldemort smirked and released Harry’s chin,

“Now, I want you to listen very closely to him, Harry. Is that understood?”

Harry nodded his head. Voldemort pointed his wand at Snape and revived him,

“Wake up, Severus. It is time to settle your debt.”

Snape stirred and Harry took a few more steps back. Snape looked up and Harry felt his gaze zero on in on him,

“Potter, if you had any sense of responsibility, you would have killed yourself. Your mother would have killed you with her very own hands if she knew what you had become.”

Harry clenched his fists and spoke,

“DON’T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT MY MOTHER!!!! And if I’m so worthy of death then why didn’t you kill me? You had me in chains. You had me isolated. Why didn’t you just kill me?”

Voldemort stepped close to Harry and wrapped his arm around his waist,

“There is no need for this melodrama. I want you to tell Harry what you fed him.”

Harry hated Snape. He was hating him so much more right now,

“The draught of impermanent psychosis.”

It took Harry a few seconds to understand that, but when he did, everything began making perfect sense. Harry felt his hate for the man increase tenfold. Voldemort’s voice rang through the room again,

“Who ordered you feed Harry that potion?”

Harry listened with abated breath. Snape replied,

“Albus Dumbledore.”

Harry stepped away from Voldemort and leaned against the wall. His hands clutched his head as he tried to determine who was right and who was wrong. Was Snape on the side of the angels? Dumbledore was dark, Voldemort was dark. If everyone was dark, then who was light? Did the light even exist? Harry slipped down to the floor and closed his eyes. He didn’t want to live in this senseless world anymore,

“Kill me, please.”

Voldemort only chuckled. Harry knew that he had repeated that sentence countless times and he knew that no matter how many more times he repeated it, Voldemort would not kill him.

Voldemort looked at Harry. He was growing agitated. Why did Harry always sink to this state of mind? Why? He had tried being caring. He had tried being hard on him. What else was he supposed to do to make Harry value his life? It was times like these when he just wanted to torture the boy into oblivion. He pointed his wand towards Snape and tortured him instead.

Snape’s screams filled the room and Harry wanted to sink into the ground. His hands moved towards his ears and he covered them to block out the screams,

“Stop it……………stop…………...just please stop.”

Voldemort lifted the curse. Harry stood up. It was like the time when Voldemort had killed Uncle Vernon. Thee torture would go on and on until he told Voldemort to kill him but he wouldn’t say it. This time he wouldn’t ask Voldemort to kill the man because he wanted him to suffer. He wanted Snape to die painfully. He didn’t think that a killing curse was enough. Even the cruciatus wasn’t enough.

Voldemort listened to Harry’s thoughts and he felt aroused by how sadistic they were. He drew close to Harry and caressed his cheek softly,

“How do you want him to suffer, Harry?”

Harry closed his eyes and thought of a thousand different scenarios. A voice inside his head screamed out at him and made him pause in his thoughts. What was he thinking? Had he just been thinking of a thousand ways to torture Snape. No, he was really going insane. Harry banged the back of his head against the wall. He was going crazy. He had to stop thinking.

Voldemort felt the shift in Harry’s thoughts and he felt enraged. He gripped Harry by the throat and held him against the wall,

“Why, Harry? Why do you back away when you are so close to perfection?”

Harry kicked his feet as he felt himself suffocating. His hands came up and tried to pry Voldemort’s hands away from his throat but to no avail.

Harry heard a swish of a cloak and he felt Voldemort’s grip vanish from his neck. He felt someone’s arms holding him up. Harry drew several deep breaths and rubbed his neck. The arms holding him, immediately released him and Harry collapsed on his knees. He closed his eyes and just focused on breathing.

Voldemort had his wand pointed towards Sanguini,

“How dare you come between our private matters?”

Sanguini had a wild smirk on his face,

“I am absolutely certain that the knowledge I am about to share with you will make you ecstatic.”


	91. Chapter 91

Voldemort lowered his wand and moved closer to Sanguini,

“What is it?”

Sanguini drew closer to Voldemort and whispered in his ear,

“Your spouse is expecting again.”

Voldemort’s eyes widened with shock and his gaze landed on Harry,

“Are you absolutely certain?”

Sanguini’s grin widened,

“You can confirm it if you don’t believe me.”

Voldemort’s gaze was fixated on Harry. He fully intended to confirm it. If it was true then he was ecstatic. This time he planned to inform Harry. And this time he would not let any harm befall the heir. Sanguini patted him on the shoulder,

“Congratulations, Lord Voldemort. You shall be blessed with an heir again.”

Voldemort smirked and replied,

“You shall be rewarded for delivering this news. Tell me, what do you desire?”

Sanguini’s gaze moved towards Snape. He licked his lips and spoke,

“He would make a nice addition to my wine collection.”

Voldemort’s smirk widened,

“I will grant him to you only if you send me a bottle as well.”

Sanguini shook Voldemort’s hand,

“We have a deal then.”

Voldemort made his way towards Harry and lifted him up to his feet. He rested his hands on Harry’s shoulders and kissed his forehead.

Harry recoiled from the touch and his body trembled uncontrollably when Voldemort kissed his forehead. Harry felt disoriented. He just couldn’t understand the man. One moment he was strangling him and the next, he was being gentle and caring. Sanguini made his way towards them. He took Harry’s hand and kissed it,

“Stay blessed, Harry.”

Voldemort held Harry close to him and led him out of the dark and dank room. He led him down the stairs and pulled him into the living room. The living room was empty. Voldemort sat Harry down on a couch and spoke,

“Lie back Harry.”

Harry looked up at Voldemort with confusion,

“But why?”

Voldemort pulled Harry’s legs over the couch and made him lie down. He pointed his wand towards Harry’s stomach and muttered the incantation. Instantly a blue glow emanated from Harry’s stomach and Voldemort laughed maniacally.

Harry felt extremely disoriented. What was going on? What spell had Voldemort cast on him? He just couldn’t understand any of it. He realized that he was hyper ventilating. It was Sanguini that spoke,

“Relax, Harry.”

Harry looked up at Voldemort, who was still laughing and felt extremely unsettled. Voldemort was extremely happy about something and that meant that he was in trouble. Anything that made Voldemort happy couldn’t be good for him.

Voldemort leaned over Harry and kissed his lips tightly. Harry tried to pull back but there was no room for him to back away. He was still laying on the couch. Voldemort pulled away his lips and spoke in a gentle voice,

“Calm down, Harry. I shall not hurt you.”

Harry resisted the urge to snort at that statement. There was no way Voldemort would ever stop hurting him. Voldemort sat down beside him and pulled Harry up into a sitting position. Harry sat up straight and stared emptily in his lap. Voldemort took his chin and made him meet his gaze,

“Harry, I am going to tell you something and you will listen silently. I do not want you to overreact or act melodramatically. Is that understood?”

Harry felt confused beyond measure but he nodded his head nonetheless. Voldemort smirked and continued,

“Now I must make you aware of the fact that you are expecting.”

Harry didn’t understand what Voldemort meant. He stared right into his crimson orbs and spoke,

“Expecting what?”

Voldemort sighed in exasperation and spoke,

“Let me put it this way, Harry. You are pregnant.”

A gasp escaped Harry’s lips as he felt unimaginable shock move through his entire being. What had Voldemort just said? How was this even possible? He closed his eyes and slumped back on the couch. He tried feeling for it. His hand came to rest on his stomach and he tried to feel for it but he felt nothing. Voldemort had to be lying. It wasn’t even possible. Voldemort gently caressed Harry’s cheek,

“I administered a fertility potion into you. That is how it came to be possible.”

Harry kept his eyes closed tightly and his hand clutched his stomach. How? How was he supposed to take care of another life when he couldn’t even take care of himself? How was he going to bring another life into this corrupt and evil world? Voldemort drew closer to him and rested his hand on his stomach,

“That life inside you is my heir. It shall rule this corrupt and evil world by our side.”

Harry felt tears brim up in his eyes. This was too much. It was too much. Harry finally spoke and his voice was close to breaking,

“I wanted death and you gave me life. I can’t…………………. I won’t entrust you with an innocent soul.”

Voldemort grabbed his hair tightly and spoke,

“So, will you kill it? Will you kill our unborn child, Harry? Tell me.”

Harry broke down in tears. He couldn’t. Voldemort was right. Voldemort kept his grip on Harry’s hair and spoke,

“You must be very cautious from now on, Harry. If any of your reckless actions harm my heir, I swear, I shall punish you beyond anything that you have ever imagined. Is that understood?”

Harry kept his eyes closed and murmured,

“Yes.”

Voldemort wiped away the tears from Harry’s eyes and spoke,

“This is not an occasion for tears. You must not cry. You mustn’t even frown.”

Harry sat up straight and removed his hand from his stomach,

“What should I do then?”

Voldemort smirked and kissed Harry’s forehead,

“You should be overjoyed, Harry.”

Harry tried to look for an aspect of happiness in this matter but he just couldn’t. What was he supposed to be overjoyed about? Was he supposed to be happy about the fact that another soul would soon share his prison. Or the fact that that little soul would have the Dark Lord Voldemort as a parent? How was this ever going to work? He had never imagined a family. He hadn’t even dreamed of a family with Voldemort.

Harry buried his face in his hands. What was he going to do now? His life had grown so complicated that he couldn’t even comprehend it anymore. Where was his ray of hope now? He searched desperately for it in his heart but there was nothing but despondent darkness there.


	92. Chapter 92

Harry sat silently and stared at his empty hands while Voldemort announced the news to his death eaters. The air was filled with cries of joy. Harry just couldn’t bear it. He wanted to cry but there weren’t any tears left He wanted to say something but he didn’t have any words left. He had nothing. Everything around him and now everything inside him belonged to Voldemort.

Voldemort took Harry’s hand and raised him up to his feet. Harry located Sirius in the sea of death eaters and saw his tear-filled eyes. Harry was glad that he at least had Sirius. The death eaters approached them one by one, kissed their feet and offered their congratulations. Harry attempted to step back thrice but every time his attempts were rendered unsuccessful by Voldemort. The last person to approach them was Sirius. He kissed Voldemort’s feet and then kissed Harry’s.  After congratulating them, he had just turned to leave when Voldemort addressed him,

“Black, do you not wish to spend some time with your godson?”

Sirius turned and looked at Harry,

“Well of course I do, my lord.”

Voldemort smiled and walked away to discuss some matter with Bellatrix. Sirius drew closer to Harry and hugged him,

“Harry, how are you?”

Harry held onto Sirius and spoke,

“I’m alive, Sirius.”

Sirius released Harry from the hug and looked at him,

“Harry, you have to be really careful now.”

Harry looked up at Sirius and met his gaze,

“Careful about what?”

Sirius rested his hands on Harry’s shoulders and spoke softly,

“This child, Harry. This child is all that you have now.”

Harry looked down at his feet,

“I didn’t want this child. I don’t want it.”

Harry felt an arm wrap around his waist and he knew that Voldemort had returned,

“You don’t want this child, Harry?”

Harry closed his eyes and cursed his tongue. But he had only spoken the truth. He shouldn’t be scared,

“Yes, I don’t want it.”

Harry could practically feel the anger radiating from Voldemort. He felt the grip tighten around his waist followed by the uncomfortable sensation of apparition. Voldemort threw Harry on the bed before Harry could recover from the sensation. Voldemort gripped him by his chin and spoke,

“Say that again, Harry. I dare you.”

Harry felt all the anger, venom and hate bubbling inside him come out,

“I DON’T WANT THIS CHILD!!!!”

Voldemort slapped him hard across the face and released him. He conjured a potion and held it out to Harry.

Harry straightened up and looked at the flask in Voldemort’s hand,

“Drink it, Harry and get rid of it then.”

Everything inside him screamed at him as he extended his hand to take the potion. Harry felt his emotions burst up inside him and he knocked the flask out of Voldemort’s hand. Harry buried his face in his hands and howled out in despair. Voldemort gripped his shoulders tightly and spoke in a livid tone,

“I shall feed you that potion myself if you say that again or even think about it again. Is that understood?”

Harry nodded his head slowly. Voldemort continued,

“You shall not do anything to jeopardize the life of this child. I shall not repeat myself again.”

Harry nodded again. He was burning up inside. He had to get it all out,

“I just don’t know how I’m going to cope with this. I mean it isn’t even supposed to be possible and now all of a sudden, I’m bearing this responsibility.”

Voldemort’s expression softened and he sat down beside Harry,

“Harry, I am certain that you will learn to accept this. This is your child as well.”

Harry kept his face in his hands.

Voldemort looked at Harry. He just couldn’t understand what he truly felt for him. Sometimes it was hatred, while on some occasions, it was care, compassion and mercy. He realized that Harry was making him weak. He had always made cold and calculated decisions but now his decisions were ruled by emotions and sentiments. Sentiments were for the weak and he would have to get rid of them.

Luna Lovegood had been right all along. He would have to send Harry away for a while. At least until he had gotten rid of these damned sentiments. He had already discussed the matter and all preparations had been made. He spoke,

“I am sending you away for a few days.”

Harry looked up and met Voldemort’s gaze,

“Sending me away? But where?”

Voldemort met Harry’s gaze and spoke,

“You shall know very soon.”

Voldemort stood up and vanished. He appeared in a duelling chamber and fired spell after spell at the target mannequins. His thoughts were a mixture of conflicting ideas. Could he really send Harry away? Could he really entrust him to someone else? Harry’s political value had increased tenfold now that he was carrying his heir. That meant that anyone would be more than happy to use him or kill him. NO. He blasted a mannequin into a thousand splinters. He would have to send Harry away at any cost. He would not tolerate this weakness anymore. He blasted another mannequin in flames.

He conjured a chair and sat down in it. He had never felt this conflicted before. This was proof that Harry had made him weak. He almost wished that the boy was dead. No, the boy’s death would only result in his loss. He still had to work on making him immortal. Voldemort finalized the decision in his head and stood up.

He appeared back in the room and found Harry curled up in bed and fast asleep. He moved closer to him and gently rested his hand on Harry’s stomach. He could feel the tiny speck of life there without even focusing on finding it. He kissed Harry’s head softly without even meaning to. Harry’s very presence aroused unknown emotions in his chest. He pulled the covers over Harry and kissed his cheek. He sat down beside Harry and just focused on breathing in his scent and feeling his being. He vowed to himself that this was the last time he felt anything for Harry.


	93. Chapter 93

Harry woke up and opened his eyes. He wished all of that had been a dream. He wanted it to be a dream but he knew it wasn't. Harry curled up into himself. This was all real. All of it was real. Voldemort's voice rang through the room,

"Get up, Harry. We're running late."

Harry didn't feel like it and he voiced it,

"I don't want to."

Instantly he felt Voldemort grab him and pull him out of bed,

"What you want does not matter."

Harry stood up on his feet and made his way to the wardrobe wordlessly. He pulled out a fresh pair of jeans and a dark maroon button up shirt. When he turned around, Voldemort was already seated in his armchair and reading the Prophet.

Harry made his way to the bathroom. He placed the clothes on the rack and made his way to the sink. He felt the incredible urge to vomit. He dry-heaved several times but didn't vomit. Harry splashed water over his face and got dressed. He had no idea where Voldemort was sending him but anywhere was better than here. He just couldn't bear the man anymore.

Harry stepped out of the bathroom. He sat down on the edge of the bed and wore his shoes and socks,

"I'm ready."

Voldemort vanished the newspaper and stood up. Without casting a glance towards Harry, he gripped his arm and they disapparated.

They appeared in the entrance of Malfoy Manor. Harry looked around and internally groaned. Was Voldemort going to leave him here. He wished he wouldn't. Lucius Malfoy rushed to greet them and led them to the living room. Voldemort sat down and began conversing with Lucius

It didn't take long for Harry to realize that Voldemort was deliberately ignoring him. He knew he wasn't supposed to be affected by it but he was. This was exactly the way Dumbledore had treated him. Was he mad? Why did he want Voldemort's attention? It was better this way. Another thought crossed his mind. He had fulfilled his purpose and now Voldemort didn't need him anymore. That was why he was sending him away. Harry tried to convince himself but it wasn't working. He didn't like feeling this way.

Harry was about to walk out from the living room when Voldemort spoke,

"Sit down, Harry."

Harry turned around and sat down. Voldemort continued his conversation with Lucius. Harry leaned back in his seat and stared up at the crystal chandelier as a thousand thoughts raced through his head. It was obvious that no one cared about him. Everyone had something that they wanted from him and as soon as they got it, they just disowned him. Just like Dumbledore had done when the press had started calling him "Crazy" instead of the "The boy who lived". It was obvious that Dumbledore had only been using him for his fame. As long as he had been famous, Dumbledore had adored him and as soon as he had fallen from grace, Dumbledore had left him. Voldemort was the same. Everyone was the same.

Voldemort had listened quietly to Harry's thoughts for a while but now he had had enough. He dismissed Lucius and closed the door with a wave of his wand. Harry was too self-absorbed to notice as Voldemort stood up and approached him.

Voldemort drew closer to Harry and snapped his fingers,

"Harry, look at me."

Harry snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at Voldemort,

"What were you thinking?"

Harry looked away from Voldemort and stared down at his feet,

"I wasn't thinking anything wrong."

Voldemort gripped Harry by the shoulders and shook him,

"I am not disowning you and do not compare me to that old fool."

Harry kept his gaze fixed at his feet,

"But you're treating me the same."

Voldemort cursed internally. He had vowed that he wouldn't feel anything for Harry and here he was again. He cupped Harry's face with his hands and made him meet his gaze,

"Harry, I am sending you away because you are vulnerable here. Do not think for a moment that I am abandoning you."

Harry closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. He nodded his head quietly. He was too confused. Didn't he want Voldemort to abandon him? Didn't he want to be free anymore? He did. He still wanted to be free.

Voldemort kissed Harry's forehead softly and spoke,

"I am sending you with Sanguini. You shall live with him at his castle."

Harry immediately looked up,

"Sanguini? You didn't even want me to talk to Vampires. Now you want me to live with them."

Voldemort caressed Harry's cheek,

"You will be well taken care of. You need rest and relaxation more than anything else in your current condition."

Harry looked away and spoke,

"My current condition?"

Voldemort moved his fingers through Harry's hair and spoke softly,

"You understand me perfectly well, Harry."

There was a knock on the door and Voldemort spoke,

"Enter."

Lucius Malfoy entered the room accompanied by Sanguini. Sanguini looked at Voldemort and Harry and his smile widened,

"Harry, how are you feeling today?"

Harry looked up at Sanguini and spoke,

"I'm fine."

Voldemort patted Harry on the shoulder,

"Get up, Harry."

Harry stood up. Voldemort looked at Lucius and spoke,

"Go and get Severus."

Lucius Malfoy bowed and left the room. Voldemort wrapped his arm around Harry's waist and turned to Sanguini,

"You are aware of the fact that Harry is the most precious thing in my life. And I am entrusting him to you. I do not want Harry to face even the slightest of discomforts in your care. I am certain that you will not disappoint me."

Sanguini nodded quietly and spoke,

"Harry shall be treated as nothing less than royalty."

Voldemort nodded his head. Lucius Malfoy appeared with a floating black form on his back. Sanguini's smile widened. He snapped his fingers and a man appeared behind him. Harry looked at the man and realized that he was a vampire as well. The man grabbed Snape and walked out of the room. Harry watched him go and the question slipped from his tongue,

"Where is he taking Snape?"

It was Sanguini that replied,

"I'll show you later, Harry."

He turned to Voldemort and spoke,

"We must get going now."

Voldemort embraced Harry and kissed his head,

"Do not attempt to escape, Harry."

Harry nodded his head silently,

"I won't try to."

Voldemort kissed Harry's neck and spoke,

"Good boy."

He released him and led him closer to Sanguini,

"Take good care of him."

Sanguini took Harry's hand in his and kissed it softly,

"There is no need to worry, Lord Voldemort. Your spouse is in very good hands."

Sanguini led Harry out of Malfoy Manor. Harry realized that a carriage was waiting for them outside. Harry didn't feel surprised when he realized that Thestrals were pulling the carriage. Harry climbed into the carriage wordlessly. He felt a sense of happiness. He was finally going to be away from Voldemort but along with happiness, he felt anxious. He was worried about where he was headed. What if it was worse than Voldemort's castle?


	94. Chapter 94

Harry sat back in the carriage seat with Sanguini sitting beside him. The Thestrals had taken off. He had his eyes closed. He was free, or as free as he could afford to be. There was no more Voldemort which meant that he was free to think whatever he wanted to. His thoughts were finally safe.

It was beginning to get chilly and Harry realized that he wasn't wearing anything apart from his shirt to keep him arm. Harry involuntarily shivered and Sanguini felt it. He pulled off his fur cloak and placed it over Harry's shoulders quietly. The instant warmth seemed to soothe him and lull him into a sense of security.

Sanguini looked beside him and realized that Harry had dozed off. The boy was too young and too unexperienced but there was something about him. Something that he just couldn't place his finger on. He knew how Voldemort treated him. He knew about all the abuse and the torments. He just didn't know why Voldemort had chosen him as his spouse. Over the years Voldemort had used countless men and women to warm his bed but he had never elevated any of them to the status of spouse. Political gain was a very weak reason for wedlock and he knew that there was a far deeper reason behind it. He fully intended to discover that reason.

Harry woke up with a jolt as the carriage landed on the ground. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked around. The carriage door was opened and Harry stepped out. He realized that it was snowing outside. He clutched the cloak tightly around him. Sanguini placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and led him inside the castle. The castle was similar to Voldemort's except that it was much colder and darker. The torches burned with a blue flame and the outlandish light casted ghostly shadows across the walls. It was extremely cold and Harry felt his hands grow gradually numb. Sanguini led him up several flights of stairs and stood outside a room,

"The room has been sufficiently lighted and warmed for you. I have employed a few human slaves to tend to your needs. You must be aware that Vampires prefer dark and cold places. You shall find everything you will need in your wardrobe. If you require something else then you should ring the bell placed on the bed side table. If you have any questions in your mind, then feel free to ask them."

Harry absorbed all the information and then asked the question that was bothering him the most,

"Can I explore the castle?"

Sanguini smiled softly and nodded his head,

"This is your home until Lord Voldemort summons you back. You may go wherever you wish and do whatever you please but you must not leave the confines of this castle. Is that understood, Harry?"

Harry nodded and then asked another question, just out of curiosity,

"Do you sleep during the day and stay awake at night?"

Sanguini chuckled,

"We prefer not to step out in the light of the day and perform most of our tasks at night but aside from that we sleep whenever we wish."

Harry turned the door knob and was about to step into the room when Sanguini spoke again,

"Harry, be ready for dinner in an hour. A slave shall escort you to the dining area."

Harry replied,

"Sure, I'll be there."

He stepped into the room and was instantly greeted with a pleasant warmth. He pulled off the fur cloak and looked around. The room contained a king-sized bed, a fireplace, two cushiony arm chairs and a couch. There was a full-sized mirror on a wall and Harry looked at his reflection in it. He remembered the mirror he had shattered and his attempted suicide and looked away from the mirror. He walked to the wardrobe and opened it to reveal its shelves fully packed with all sorts of woollen items. Harry looked the hung clothes on the other side and pulled out a black hooded jacket.

He placed it on the couch and sat down on one of the arm chairs in front of the fireplace. The warmth felt heavenly and Harry relaxed. He stared emptily at the burning logs in the fireplace and warmed his hands. He felt an odd kind of peace that he hadn't felt in a long time. Harry rested his head against the back of the armchair and stared up at the ceiling.

He still wasn't free. This wasn't freedom. It was just an illusion of freedom. He would still be confined to the walls of this castle. He was still a prisoner in these walls. Harry sighed and his hand came to rest on his belly,

"Why did you have to appear? Things were difficult enough for me already."

Harry closed his eyes as tears slipped down his cheeks. He pulled away his hand from his stomach and wiped away the tears,

"You can't answer me yet."

Harry heard a knock on the door,

"Come in."

Harry turned around and saw a middle-aged woman standing there,

"Master Sanguini is expecting you for dinner."

Harry stood up and pulled on the jacket, he had picked out earlier. She walked out of the room and Harry followed her quietly. Harry looked at her. Sanguini had said that she was a slave. Harry felt his heart ache for her. He spoke,

"Ummm can I know your name?"

She continued to lead him silently towards the dining hall. Harry pushed his hands inside the pockets of his jackets and followed. It was clear that there was no point in trying to make conversation. She would not talk to him. She halted outside a door. Harry walked past her and entered an enormous hall. A large rectangular table was set in the middle and Harry saw Sanguini seated there with four more vampires. Sanguini saw him approach and stood up,

"Harry, come and take a seat."

Harry walked close to him and took a seat beside him. He looked at the other vampires on the table and realized that they were ignoring him. Sanguini spoke in a voice barely above a whisper,

"These are the other vampire lords. They were not in favour of my decision to bring you here but they had to agree to it because of our alliance with Lord Voldemort."

Harry looked down at his empty plate and felt the piercing gaze of all four of them upon him. Food appeared in front of him and Harry felt relieved when the Vampires directed their attention towards their meal. Harry looked up and realized that each of them had a huge gold goblet filled with blood sitting in front of them. Harry felt himself lose his appetite when he considered where the blood must have come from. Sanguini rested his hand on Harry's shoulder and spoke,

"You must eat, Harry."

Harry knew he had to eat to keep up his strength. Voldemort would not forgive him for starving himself. Harry finished his meal as quickly as possible and stood up. One of the vampires considered him and spoke,

"I expected you to possess some manners. It seems your husband has not taught you anything."

Harry looked at the vampire that had spoken and asked him,

"My husband's not here, is he?"

The vampire sneered and flashed his fangs,

"I have children like you for supper."

Harry felt his anger bubble up and come out,

"I am not a child."

Sanguini stood up and spoke,

"Go to your room, Harry."

Harry walked out of the dining hall fuming. He wished he was a child but he wasn't. Children were innocent and pure. Voldemort had snatched his innocence and purity away and left him with nothing. Harry stopped in his tracks as he snapped out of his thoughts. He didn't know how far he had walked or where he was. Harry continued walking. He would get somewhere. The sound of a baby crying made him stop in his tracks. He followed the sound and it led him to a darkened room.

Harry saw a woman holding the baby. The baby was screaming and writhing in her grip and it didn't take Harry long to realize that she was a vampire and what she was about to do.


	95. Chapter 95

Harry reacted instinctively. He leapt forward and snatched the baby from her grasp. The woman looked up and bared her fangs at Harry. Harry held the baby close to his chest and stepped back as she stepped forward. She hissed and growled and Harry felt his heart leap out of his chest she drew closer to him. He realized that he was cornered as he felt his back hit the wall. Harry saw her full lips curl up into a vindictive smile as she approached him,

"It must be my lucky day. I'm getting two meals together."

Harry was terrified. Not for himself but the baby. He could feel the baby's erratic heartbeat and he knew that it was afraid as well. Harry clutched the baby tighter. He would not let her harm it. The baby continued to cry.

Harry's breath caught in his throat as he felt the woman's breath on his neck. He felt her fangs brush against his skin and he shuddered uncontrollably. Harry closed his eyes tightly,

"First, I'll drain you dry and then I'll have the child for dessert."

He had to protect the child. He would protect it any course. Harry felt his magic come alive. He felt the extraordinary energy running through his veins and pumping through his blood. He felt invincible. Just as soon as he had felt the energy appear, he felt it disappear. Harry tried to open his eyes but he couldn't. Harry felt himself sinking into the darkness.

An ear-piercing scream forced Harry to his senses. His eyes shot open and he realized that he was slumped against the wall and the baby had stopped crying. He looked around and saw the woman lying on her back and screaming like a banshee. Harry cursed under his breath. What was he supposed to do?

Before he could do anything, Sanguini appeared followed by two other vampire lords. Harry realized that one of them was the lord he had just argued with. Sanguini's gaze swept around the room and understanding flashed in his eyes. One of the vampire lords cried out and rushed towards the woman. The woman's screams had died down and she lay still now. The vampire lord knelt beside the woman and pulled her into his lap,

"Serena, wake up. Open your eyes."

Sanguini flashed a warning look towards Harry and stepped closer to the kneeling Vampire lord,

"Calm down, Vincent."

Vincent towards Harry and screamed out,

"What did you do to her?"

Harry wanted to vanish into the wall. Suddenly the woman turned to ash in Vincent's arms. Harry's jaw dropped in horror and Vincent howled out in grief. Sanguini's shoulders slumped and he patted Vincent on the shoulder. Harry realized that the woman was dead. She deserved it and Harry felt no remorse. Harry mentally slapped himself. Was he even in his senses? He had just killed a woman. He had just killed a magical creature. The baby shivered in his arms and Harry realized that it was extremely cold. He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around the baby.

Vincent stood up and held Harry by the collar of his shirt,

"You…. You will pay for what you have done."

The other Vampire lord had watched the entire scene with extreme amusement. Finally, he spoke,

"Lock him in the dungeons. He shall be punished according to our laws."

Sanguini pulled Vincent away from Harry and spoke,

"Harry is no ordinary human, Roy. The Dark Lord will not be pleased."

Roy chuckled darkly and stepped closer to Harry. He gripped him by the chin and spoke,

"His husband is not here, is he?"

Harry met Roy's gaze and spoke,

"No, he isn't."

Roy struck Harry across the face and called out to the guards,

"Lock him up in the dungeons."

Harry wasn't afraid. He deserved it. He was led out of the room by two guards.

Sanguini looked at the two men and spoke,

"This will most definitely result in the end our alliance with Lord Voldemort."

He strode out of the room and rushed to his office. He would have to inform Lord Voldemort.

Harry was locked up in a 4x4 cell. He sat on the cold stone floor and cradled the baby in his arms. He had saved a life but at what cost? How had he even managed to kill her? Harry felt the chain around his ankle clink as he tried to move. He felt cold but he didn't care about it. Harry looked down at the baby in his arms and felt that it was all worth it. The baby was peacefully asleep, unaware of what had happened and the consequences of the events. Harry had discovered that it was a baby boy and he seemed less than six months old. He had thought of several names for him but then stopped because the baby must already have a name.

He was worried. The baby was crying and so far, all of Harry's attempts to soothe him were fruitless. He had a feeling that the baby was crying because he was hungry. Harry rocked him in his arms, tried very hard to put him back to sleep but it wasn't working. The baby refused to calm down.

It had been an hour. Harry's head was rested against the wall and his eyes were closed. The baby had fallen asleep again but Harry knew that it would wake up again. The dungeon was quiet. Harry had seen the occupants of the cell when he had been brought down here. They all had looked drained and lifeless. Harry had a mild idea about why they had looked that way.

Harry heard approaching footsteps. They sounded rushed. Soon enough the cell door was forced open with a bang and Harry saw the one person he hadn't wanted to see.

Voldemort stood at the entrance of the cell with an expression of utmost rage on his face. Harry immediately averted his gaze and looked down at his feet. He could not deal with this.


	96. Chapter 96

Voldemort scanned Harry from head to toe. His gaze came to rest on the chain around Harry's ankle and he spoke,

"Is this the royal treatment you spoke of, Sanguini?"

Harry realized that Sanguini was standing behind Voldemort. When Sanguini didn't reply for a long time, Voldemort turned his attention towards Harry and spoke in a voice that was shaking with rage,

"What did you do, Harry?"

Harry kept his gaze down and spoke,

"I don't know."

In a heartbeat Voldemort was bent down beside him and held his face in a bone shattering grip,

"WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Voldemort had roared out the question and Harry felt himself tremble. He could feel the anger radiating from the man and it made him fear his wrath. Voldemort forced Harry to meet his gaze and tore through his memories. He knew Voldemort had seen the events that had taken place. When Voldemort was done, he released Harry and pulled out his wand.

Harry tried backing away but the chain clinked again and restricted his movement. Voldemort rested the tip of his wand over Harry's stomach and muttered an incantation. A faint blue glow emanated from Harry's stomach and Voldemort smirked. He traced his wand over the baby in Harry's arms and spoke in a voice barely above a whisper,

"You did the very thing that I warned you about. You jeopardized the life of our child over this baby. I should kill it."

Harry clutched the baby tighter and held it to his chest,

"No…...please"

Voldemort gripped Harry by his hair and was about to speak when Roy appeared and interrupted him,

"Lord Voldemort, since you claim to be an impartial and fair head of the alliance, I believe that you must do justice in this case. One of our kind has been murdered by your spouse."

Voldemort released Harry's hair and looked at Roy,

"What do you suggest, Roy?"

Roy looked sadistically towards Harry and spoke,

"Since we cannot apply the death penalty on him, I suggest thirty lashes."

Harry nearly swooned. He remembered the time Voldemort had whipped him. At that time, he had barely made it through five lashes. Voldemort chuckled darkly and spoke,

"Harry is with child. In these circumstances, I believe that ten lashes will suffice."

Roy looked like he had just been denied a juicy snack and spoke,

"I shall discuss it with the other Vampire Lords. In any case, Vincent shall deliver the punishment because he had suffered the loss."

Voldemort nodded his head and spoke,

"You have half an hour to finalize your decision."

Roy departed along with Sanguini. Voldemort gripped Harry by the hair again and Harry cried out in pain,

"Ten lashes. You shall endure ten lashes, Harry. At the end of those ten lashes if you have had a miscarriage then I shall chop off this child's head. Is that understood?"

Harry nodded his head shakily. Voldemort released his hair and waved his wand. The chain around Harry's ankle vanished,

"Get up, Harry."

Harry got up to his feet unsteadily. Voldemort conjured a thick cloak and wrapped it around Harry. He gripped Harry's arm and led him out of the dungeons and up several flights of stairs. Soon Harry found himself in front of the room, Sanguini had assigned to him. Voldemort led him in and closed the door.

Harry nearly melted as he felt the warmth of the room. He realized how cold he had been. Voldemort sat down in one of the arm chairs and signalled Harry to do the same. Harry sat down quietly and looked at the baby in his arms. The baby was waking up again.

Voldemort looked at Harry. He was concerned. How was Harry going to endure ten lashes? He was certain that Harry would have a miscarriage even with the threat looming over him. Harry was not physically capable of enduring ten lashes. This was Harry's mess. Why was he even concerned about him? He should just sit back and enjoy the show. But he couldn't. He had seen that Harry's magic had only reacted in self-defence. He was glad that Harry had protected himself. But he was furious about the fact that Harry had put himself in danger to save the child in the first place.

Voldemort was forced out of his thoughts as the baby started crying. Harry was cradling the baby and trying to soothe it. Voldemort looked at Harry's face and read the concern there. Harry stood up and began rocking the child. Voldemort had an inkling to what was bothering the child.

Harry knew that the baby was starving. He was terrified of Voldemort but he had no other choice. He drew a deep breath and spoke,

"The baby is starving. Please…."

Voldemort considered Harry's request. He was tempted to decline it and let the child starve to death but he knew that he would not be able to tolerate the agony that the death would cause Harry. He waved his wand and conjured a feeder filled with milk. He held it out to Harry and felt extremely pleased to see the gratitude in Harry's eyes.

Harry felt extremely relieved and grateful. He took the feeder from Voldemort's hand and sat down again. Gently he raised the head of the baby and held the feeder to the baby's lips. The baby quieted down almost immediately and began to drink the milk.

The baby fell asleep as soon as it finished the milk in the feeder. Harry rested his head against the back of the chair and spoke,

"Thank you so much."

Voldemort dismissed the statement and spoke,

"That child will die if you let my heir die."

Harry closed his eyes. He would have to withstand those ten lashes at any cost. He had done so much to save this child. He would not let it all go to waste. There was a knock on the door and Voldemort spoke,

"Enter."

It was the woman that had come to take him to dinner earlier. She spoke,

"The Vampire Lords request your presence in the meeting room."

Voldemort dismissed her with a wave of his hand and got up to his feet. Harry stood up as well. He wanted to leave the baby in the room but he wouldn't be satisfied. He didn't trust anyone here. Harry pulled the jacket tighter around the baby and held him close to his chest. He followed Voldemort to the meeting room. A large table was placed in the centre of the room and all the vampire lords were present there.

Harry felt power radiating from Voldemort and he knew that the Vampire Lords felt it too because they all rose to their feet as Voldemort approached and none of them reclaimed their seats until Voldemort had sat down. Harry sat down in the chair next to Voldemort. It was Roy that spoke first,

"We have discussed and agreed upon the penalty that you suggested."

Voldemort smirked and spoke,

"Very good. The punishment shall be delivered on the day after tomorrow and it shall be delivered by Vincent."

Voldemort turned to Harry and spoke,

"Is there anything that you would like to state in your defence?"

Harry looked up and his gaze swept the table. He had to speak,

"I didn't do it."

Voldemort's smirk widened. Roy got up to his feet and was about to speak when Voldemort raised his hand,

"Harry has the right to state his case."

Harry drew a deep breath and spoke,

"She attacked me because I saved this baby from her. She was about to bite me when I nearly passed out. The next moment she was screaming and I didn't know what had happened."

Roy was shaking with rage. Vincent roared out in rage,

"YOU KILLED HER AND YOU KNOW IT!"

Harry shook his head,

"All of you falsely accused me of the murder merely because I was present in the same room…."

Harry hadn't finished the sentence when Vincent was holding him across the throat and suffocating him. Voldemort gripped Vincent and slammed him down on the floor,

"How dare you touch him?"

Voldemort had his wand pointed towards Vincent. Harry could practically taste Voldemort's rage. It was cracking through the air like lightening. Vincent crawled away in fear. Voldemort turned to the other Vampire Lords and spoke,

"Harry shall receive his punishment of ten lashes even though he did not commit the crime you accused him because I do not want there to be any doubt in the mind of any individual regarding my even-handedness and integrity."

With that, he forced Harry to his feet and dragged him back to the room. Once inside, he closed the door and spoke,

"Go to sleep, Harry."

Harry stared in confusion at Voldemort. He felt something. Was it admiration? Maybe. Harry shook his head and laid the baby on the bed. He pulled away the jacket from the baby and tucked him into the quilt. The baby continued to sleep peacefully and Harry kissed it gently on the head. Harry pulled off the cloak and got in bed. He had just closed his eyes for a fraction of a second and when he opened them again, Voldemort was gone.

Harry stared up at the ceiling emptily and felt something akin to disappointment. Some part of him hadn't wanted Voldemort to leave. What was wrong with him?


	97. Chapter 97

Harry stared at the ceiling blankly. He hadn't slept a wink since the night Voldemort had left him. He just didn't understand what was wrong with him. Maybe he was getting stressed about the forthcoming punishment. Harry turned in bed and stroked the baby's hair thoughtfully. Who was he kidding? He missed him. He missed Voldemort.

Harry buried his face in the pillow. He was mad. Why wasn't he thanking the heavens that he was finally free from the man? Because he was mad. Harry kept his face in the pillow and remembered all the ways Voldemort had tortured him, all the times he had violently abused him and all the things Voldemort had made him endure but none of it could deter him from missing Voldemort.

Harry argued with himself. How could he miss a monster? How could he miss the one person that had ruined his life? A voice inside him argued,

"That monster is your husband and you're going to be spending the rest of your life with him."

Harry punched the pillow in frustration. He hated this. He hated himself. He just wanted to squash all these feelings but he just couldn't. The baby started stirring beside him and Harry knew he was waking up. Harry pulled him close and kissed his head.

The baby opened his eyes and revealed crystal blue eyes. Harry had come to adore them. He had come to adore everything about the baby. From the sandy golden-brown hair to the rosy cheeks. Harry looked at the feeder lying on the bedside table. It automatically filled up with milk whenever the baby was hungry. Harry was reminded of Voldemort again. The feeder was empty which meant that the baby wasn't hungry. Harry pulled it over his chest and laid him there. He wondered where his parents were and whether they were even alive or not.

Harry rubbed his nose against the baby's and the sound of the baby's joyous laughter filled the silence of the room. Harry felt light-hearted as he tickled the baby gently. He kissed his forehead and sat up straight. Almost immediately, Harry felt nauseous. He covered his mouth with his hand and rushed to the bathroom. As soon as he reached the sink, he vomited. Harry turned on the tap and splashed water over his face.

He looked up at his reflection in the mirror and moved his fingers through his messy, tangled hair. His eyes were clearly showing the lack of sleep. Harry picked up the towel and exited the bathroom while drying his face. As soon as he pulled the towel away from his face, he saw Voldemort sitting in the arm chair. Harry was just putting the towel away when Voldemort spoke,

"Harry, you have not been sleeping."

Harry looked down at his bare feet and spoke,

"I guess I've been stressed out about the punishment."

Voldemort stood up and approached Harry. He took a hold of Harry's chin and made him meet his gaze,

"How are you, Harry?"

Harry met Voldemort's gaze and spoke,

"I'm fine."

Voldemort rested his hand on Harry's stomach. Harry felt something odd stir inside him at the touch,

"How is my heir"

Harry looked down at Voldemort's hand and tried to think of an answer,

"I don't know."

Voldemort made him meet his gaze again and smirked,

"Do you not feel it?"

Harry tried to recall if he had felt it. He really hadn't tried to feel it or maybe he had. Hadn't he spoken to it two days ago? Did that count as feeling it? Voldemort saw the confusion in Harry's eyes and his smirk widened,

"You have felt it."

Voldemort pulled away his hand and looked at the baby laying on the bed,

"Have you named him?"

Harry felt momentarily dazed at such an abrupt topic change. He snapped out of it and spoke,

"No, I haven't."

Voldemort chuckled softly,

"That is a good decision. He may die today."

Harry felt his heart ache at that statement. He felt terrified. Finally, he spoke,

"It won't come to that."

Voldemort turned to him and caressed his cheek,

"I do hope that it does not, for your sake."

Harry felt a shiver run down his spine. There was a knock on the door. Voldemort spoke,

"Enter."

The middle-aged woman entered the room, holding a tray of breakfast in her hands. Harry realized that her hands were trembling uncontrollably. She was terrified of Voldemort. After setting the tray down on the side table, she hurried out of the room.

"Sit down and have your breakfast."

Harry looked at the tray in distaste. He felt his nausea return. Voldemort noticed it and vanished the tray. He conjured a plate full of sandwiches and made Harry sit down on the edge of the bed,

"Eat, Harry."

Harry picked up a sandwich from the plate and ate in silence. After finishing a sandwich, he pushed away the plate. He had a feeling he would throw up. Voldemort looked at Harry and spoke,

"Get dressed, Harry. Your punishment is due to begin in ten minutes."

Harry felt his stomach turn. He was afraid. What if he had a miscarriage? No, he just couldn't afford to think like that. He picked out a black button up shirt from the wardrobe and a pair of black pants. After getting dressed, he put on his shoes and socks and made his way to the baby on the bed. He picked him up in his arms and held it close to his chest,

"I won't let you die, I promise."

The baby gripped his finger in a firm grasp and Harry kissed his head softly,

"You may leave him here today."

Harry looked up at Voldemort and spoke,

"But, he'll be all alone."

Voldemort waved his wand and a cot appeared,

"I assure you, he will be fine."

Harry laid the baby down in the cot and kissed him on the forehead again.

Voldemort led him out of the room. Harry's heart was beating out of his chest. He didn't want to be afraid but he was.

Voldemort walked besides Harry and felt overwhelmingly concerned. He could feel Harry's fear. Lord Voldemort had never been afraid but here he was today, afraid for Harry's well-being. He could stop the punishment but that was not a wise move. No, Harry would have to endure it. He reached the meeting room and entered.

Harry entered the meeting room behind Voldemort and noticed that the large table had been replaced by a smaller one. It was very similar to the table, Voldemort had bound him to before whipping him. The Vampire Lords stood in the centre of the room, dressed in black and red robes. Harry realized that Vincent and Roy were smirking, while Sanguini seemed to be mortified. It was Roy that spoke,

"Lord Voldemort, I am glad to see that your spouse has presented himself to receive his punishment."

Voldemort raised his hand and silenced him,

"Let us get straight to it."

Roy sneered and spoke,

"Step forward, Mr. Potter and remove your shirt."

Harry drew a deep breath, stepped forward and unbuttoned his shirt. He pulled it off and trembled due to the cold. Roy stepped closer to Harry and spoke,

"Bend over the table."

Last time Voldemort had forced him to bend. Harry bent over the table and Roy fastened the restraints around his ankles and his wrists. Harry felt his back completely exposed. He closed his eyes and summoned all his resolve.

Voldemort stepped closer to the table and inspected the restraints,

"I wish to inspect the whip that you intend to use."

Vincent stepped forward, holding a black whip in his hand and showed it to Voldemort. Voldemort took it in his hand and felt through the knots for any sharp objects. Satisfied with the inspection, he handed the whip back to Vincent.

"You may begin."

Vincent cracked the whip and Harry involuntarily flinched at the sound. He struck Harry across the back. At first Harry didn't feel anything but then suddenly, the rapid stinging sensation forced Harry to scream.

Voldemort had his arms folded behind his back as he watched Harry scream. He spoke,

"One."

Vincent struck again and this time Harry's screams could have shaken the heaven above. Voldemort sunk his nails in the palm of his hand and spoke,

"Two."

It went on for half an hour. Harry's screams of agony permeated the air without interruption. Voldemort could feel the blood pouring down his palm from where he had sunk his nails. He reassured himself that it was almost over. His gaze was fixed on Harry's back, which was enflamed and raw. He had felt Harry's pain. It was unusual. He had never felt it before.

Vincent delivered the final blow and pulled away panting. Harry's screamed out in agony and his body struggled against the restraints.

Voldemort concealed his relief and healed his palm. He spoke,

"Ten."

He conjured a black sheet and made his way towards Harry. After vanishing the restraints, he wrapped the sheet around Harry, pulled him up in his arms and swept out of the room wordlessly.


	98. Chapter 98

Harry woke up to the sound of laughter. He smiled despite himself. He knew that laughter. He adored it. Was he dreaming? He had to be. If it were a dream then he didn't want to wake up. Harry opened his eyes and saw the most impossible sight.

He saw Voldemort sitting on the armchair by the fireplace with the baby in his arms. The baby laughed joyously as Voldemort drew smoky shapes in the air with his wand and manipulated them into doing all sorts of things. This was definitely a dream.

When Harry regained his senses completely. It took him only seconds to remember that he had been whipped. Almost as soon as he remembered he felt the excruciating stinging sensation on his back and a cry escaped his lips.

Voldemort heard Harry's cry and he realized that Harry had woken up. He laid the baby down in the cot and sat on the edge of the bed. Harry was laid face down on the bed. He rested his hand on Harry's head and whispered softly,

"Harry, relax."

Harry's body was tense with pain. He tried to ask the one question that was burning in his head. Voldemort kissed Harry's head softly and spoke,

"You are fine, Harry. You did not have a miscarriage."

Harry sighed out in relief and relaxed. Voldemort moved his fingers through Harry's hair and gently spoke,

"Rest, Harry."

Harry was yearning to see the baby. As soon as he tried to move, the pain worsened and he let out another cry. Voldemort tsked and spoke,

"I told you to rest, Harry."

Voldemort pulled the baby from the cot and laid him beside Harry. Harry looked at the baby's blue inquisitive eyes taking in his face and he saw him smile. Harry smiled back and kissed the baby's head.

Voldemort felt something stir inside him at watching Harry smile. He adored it. He finally spoke,

"Harry, I took the liberty of naming him."

Harry looked up at Voldemort in puzzlement and spoke,

"Really?"

Voldemort nodded his head and spoke,

"Yes, Harry. I have named him Destrian."

Harry considered the name in his head. He couldn't have thought of a better name,

"It's great."

Harry looked at the baby and kissed him on the forehead,

"Did you hear that? I'm going to call you Destrian from now on."

The baby chuckled softly and Harry felt as if he agreed. Voldemort kissed Harry's head softly,

"I shall visit again. Sanguini shall be taking care of you."

Harry didn't want Voldemort to leave. Voldemort seemed to have read his thoughts and spoke,

"Rest, Harry. I shall visit soon."

Voldemort turned towards the baby and lifted him up in his arms. He kissed him on the forehead and spoke softly,

"I shall see you soon as well, Destrian."

Voldemort laid the baby beside Harry again and walked out the door.

When Voldemort had left. Harry stroked the Destrian's hair softly and remembered the scene from earlier. He had never expected to see Voldemort playing with a baby. Harry felt that something had changed about Voldemort. He just couldn't shrug off that feeling.

What if all of this was a lie? What if this was another one of Voldemort's ways to torture him? Harry closed his eyes and shook his head. Whatever it was, Harry decided that he wouldn't get used to it. He was just tickling Destrian and listening to him laugh when the door opened and Sanguini stepped in, followed by a woman.

Sanguini walked closer to him and spoke,

"How are you feeling, Harry?"

Harry nodded his head and replied without looking at Sanguini,

"I'm fine."

Sanguini stayed silent for a while and then spoke again,

"Harry, this is a healer. She will be tending to your back."

Harry met Sanguini's gaze,

"I don't need her."

Sanguini looked mortified. Harry immediately knew that Voldemort must have threatened to punish him for not taking care of him properly. He sighed and spoke,

"Alright."

Sanguini beamed with delight and signalled the woman to get to work. She carefully picked the baby from beside Harry and laid him down in the cot.

She pulled the covers down till Harry's waist and revealed his severely marred back. Harry closed his eyes tightly and clutched the covers tightly. The pain was steadily growing unbearable as the air brushed his exposed cuts now. She spoke in a gentle voice,

"Calm down, Mr. Potter."

Harry screamed out in agony as she began tracing her wand over his back. His grip tightened on the covers as the pain grew worse. It was as if he was being whipped again.

Destrian was crying. It didn't take Harry long to realize that his screams were the cause. Harry buried his face in the pillow and bit down on it, just to muffle his screams. The baby immediately stopped crying and Harry felt relieved despite the agony he was in.

The healer continued to trace her wand over his back and Harry continued his muffled screaming. He felt himself passing out from the pain. He heard Sanguini's voice,

"Harry, relax. Everything shall be alright."

Harry shook his head and kicked his feet. Everything wasn't alright. Sanguini's voice grew dim and distant. Harry felt the darkness consuming him and he passed out.

Sanguini looked down at Harry and signalled the healer to work faster. He took Harry's wrist in his hand and felt his pulse. Harry's heartbeat was out of control.

Voldemort sat alone in his room and stared at the empty bed. Everything seemed lifeless. It was as if the castle was lamenting Harry's departure. It seemed as if Harry had taken the life of the castle with him. He realized that he missed Harry. It was odd but it was true. He even missed the child, Destrian. He couldn't imagine how he had gotten so attached. Wasn't he supposed to get rid of these emotions in Harry's absence? He was supposed to but he couldn't manage it. He had been unable to kill his sentiments. He had failed to achieve something for the first time in his life. He imagined Harry lying on that bed and a smile crossed his lips.


	99. Chapter 99

Voldemort stared at Harry's peacefully asleep form in his arms and frowned. He had never had any trouble sleeping but last night he had been extremely troubled and restless. He had only found peace when he had appeared in Harry's room in Sanguini's castle and taken his unconscious form in his arms. He kissed Harry's forehead gently. There was no point in allowing Harry to stay here anymore. He would bring him back to his castle as soon as possible but first he would have to confer with Luna Lovegood. After all, it had been her prediction that had led him to distance Harry from himself. Harry moaned in his sleep as Voldemort pulled his arms away from Harry and got out of bed.

Voldemort made his way to the cot and found Destrian very much awake and alert. He pointed his wand towards the bed and cast a Muffliato. After all, he didn't want Harry to know that he had been here with him. He picked Destrian up and cradled him in his arms. The baby laughed and Voldemort thanked the heavens that he had cast the Muffliato. He enjoyed the laughter and relished the baby's joy. In a way, he had come to adore the child. After feeding the baby and playing with him for a while, Voldemort robed himself and disappeared from the room

Harry woke up much later feeling extremely warm and well rested. He opened his eyes and stared disappointedly at the empty space beside him. He missed Voldemort. Harry decided not to dwell on that and sat up straight. He remembered how much agony he had been in, the last time he had been awake and moved his hand over his back. He couldn't feel any cuts or bruises. He only felt smooth skin. Harry scanned the room and his gaze came to rest on Destrian's cot.

Harry got out of bed, smiling, and walked towards the cot. He felt his world come crashing down as he realized that the cot was empty. Harry was dressed in nothing but a pair of jeans. He grabbed the first shirt he saw and after wearing it, rushed out of the room. His heart was racing. Where was Destrian? What if the Vampires had taken him and…. No, he would not think like that. He could not afford to think like that. He was so lost in his thoughts that he collided with someone. Harry looked up and realized that it was Roy. Harry stepped back immediately and spoke,

"Where is Destrian?"

Roy scanned Harry from head to toe and spoke,

"You look worse than a peasant, Potter. Your husband would be disappointed to see you in this state."

Harry didn't listen. He grabbed Roy by his collar and asked again,

"Where is Destrian?"

Roy immediately bared his fangs and pushed Harry back. He pinned him to the wall and growled aggressively,

"Touch me like that again and I shall skin you alive and have you for dinner. You may be a king in your husband's castle but you hold no importance here."

Harry struggled to push him away and asked again,

"Where is the baby?"

Roy smirked evilly and spoke,

"So, you named that abomination? It is good that you told me that because I was truly beginning to wonder what Destrian was."

Harry struggled harder but Roy held on to him tight. Harry felt Roy's hand on his stomach and heard him whisper in his ear,

"If you do not calm down then you shall lose more than one child today."

Harry instantly paled at that. He knew that Roy had the power and Voldemort would not forgive him for losing the child. Harry immediately grew still. Roy smirked again and spoke,

"Good boy."

Harry felt Roy release him. He asked again,

"Where is Destrian? Please tell me."

Roy turned his back to Harry and began to walk away,

"I have no idea, Potter. And at least wear some shoes."

Harry looked down and realized that he was bare footed. He felt anxious and worried. He had to find Destrian. He just had to find him.

Voldemort sat on an armchair and read the newspaper. There was a knock on the door and Voldemort spoke,

"Enter."

Draco Malfoy entered the room followed by Luna Lovegood. Voldemort vanished the newspaper and dismissed Draco. He closed the door with a wave of his wand and was about to speak when Luna spoke first,

"You cannot bring Harry back yet."

Voldemort felt enraged but he kept his anger in check and spoke,

"Why not?"

Luna stared dreamily towards the fire place and spoke,

"A disaster approaches, Lord Voldemort. Harry is safe as long as he stays as far away from you as possible."

Voldemort forgot his anger and grimaced,

"A disaster?"

Luna merely nodded her head and then spoke in a gentle tone,

"I believe that at the moment Harry requires your aid."

Voldemort felt irritated with the abrupt change of topic but he grew concerned as well,

"What?"

Luna stood up and spoke,

"Harry is anxious. He requires your help. Now if you will excuse me I must get going."

Voldemort rose to his feet but Luna was already out the door. Voldemort shook his head and wondered what Harry had done now. He hoped that it wasn't anything like last time and with that he apparated.

Harry was wandering the castle bare footed. He couldn't feel anything except for fear for Destrian's life. How could he have lost him? He couldn't even take care of one baby. Harry felt arms wrap around his waist and he immediately turned around,

"What are you doing, Harry?"

Harry looked up into Voldemort's crimson eyes and cried out. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he howled in despair. Voldemort pulled Harry close to his chest and rubbed his back gently,

"Harry, calm down and tell me what happened?"

Harry couldn't speak. A broken cry escaped his lips. Voldemort held him closer and conjured a pair of shoes over Harry's bare feet,

"Relax, Harry."

He rubbed soothing circles on Harry's back and tried to pacify him but to no avail. His concern only grew as he observed Harry's state. It was obvious that Harry wasn't in a right state of mind. What had caused him such great distress? He swore that he would burn down this castle if those Vampire Lords had anything to do with this.


	100. Chapter 100

Harry's eyes were closed and silent tears streamed down his cheeks. Voldemort continued to rub Harry's back and tried to soothe him. He couldn't fathom what had happened. All his attempts to read Harry's mind had failed because his thoughts had been too tangled and chaotic. Finally, Harry broke the silence and spoke in a weak voice,

"Destrian…."

But he couldn't finish the sentence as he broke down into fresh tears. Voldemort's grip tightened around Harry's waist and he felt concern burn through his entire being. The baby was missing. But how could it be? He had just seen him this morning. He had fed him and held him in his arms. Where could he have gone or rather who could have taken him? Voldemort looked down at Harry and felt his concern double. Harry was not alright. He had never seen him cry this much.

Voldemort knew that Harry wouldn't relax. He conjured a dreamless sleep draught and held it to Harry's lips. Harry resisted for a while but then drank the contents of the flask and soon fell into a deep sleep. Voldemort carried Harry to the room and laid him down on the bed. He pulled the covers over him and kissed his forehead.

Voldemort turned to the empty cot and pointed his wand towards it. A small droplet of blood rushed from the cot landed on his finger. Voldemort looked down at it and felt his heart freeze with terror. He rushed out of the room instantly and hurried down towards the dungeons. He was afraid for the child. He was downright terrified.

He reached a large hall and found several men and women dangling upside down by chains over large metal cauldrons. He located Severus among those people and felt a rush of joy. But now was not the time to celebrate. He practically rushed through the hall and found Vincent standing at a distance and deep in conversation with some other vampire. Voldemort gripped from the scruff of the neck and spoke in a deadly voice,

"I shall burn this castle to the ground if you do not tell me where the child is?"

Vincent smirked wildly and spoke,

"Allow me to show you."

Voldemort kept his wand pointed towards him as Vincent led him to a side chamber. Voldemort felt grief, unimaginable grief that threatened to overpower him as he took in the sight before him. Destrian's crystal blue eyes stared vacantly at him from atop a stone table. His tiny being was soaked in blood. He pointed his wand towards Vincent and roared,

"WHO DID THIS?"

Vincent's smirk turned into a look of utmost terror and he was about to speak but Voldemort had already seen the answer in the vampire's worthless eyes. He slashed his wand in the air. The room was filled with a blinding light for a fraction of a second and when it disappeared, Vincent lay on the floor and turned into a pile of ash.

Voldemort moved towards Destrian's blood soaked form and felt tears slip down his cheeks. He wiped them away. He had never cried. He had never felt grief, never felt remorse then what had changed today? What had happened to him? He could not control the tears flowing down his cheeks. He couldn't hold back the sob that escaped that lips.

He looked into those unseeing blue eyes and felt as if they were asking him why he hadn't saved him. He closed them gently and picked Destrian in his arms. He would never hear that adorable laugh again. He would never see those lips smile again. He held the blood-soaked form to his chest and cried uncontrollably. He felt as if his heart would explode with the grief. He conjured a black sheet, wrapped it around the baby and strode out of the room.

His feet led him up to Harry's room. He saw Harry's limp form on the bed and more tears streamed down his cheeks. Harry would die from the grief. He was certain of it. But Harry had to know. No, he would have to lie. He couldn't tell Harry. It was for his own good. Voldemort cradled the limp form to his chest and spoke in a soft voice to Harry's sleeping form,

"Harry, take one last look at your Destrian."

Voldemort knew that Harry wouldn't awaken. He knew that Harry wouldn't be able to see Destrian for one last time. Harry would never be as happy as he had been with Destrian in his arms. Voldemort kissed the limp form in his arms and disappeared from the room.

He appeared at the graveyard in Little Hangleton and looked around. He walked towards an empty spot near the church wall and dug a grave with his wand. He had no control over his emotions. They ran rampant in his chest and flowed freely down his cheeks. He conjured a small coffin and laid the baby down in it. This would be the baby's final cot, his last resting place. He kissed Destrian on the forehead and closed the coffin lid. After that he gently placed it in the grave he had dug.

After filling up the grave, Voldemort collapsed on his knees and howled in sorrow. His hands came to rest on the ground and he bit on his knuckle to quieten himself. Why was this so painful? Why was it so agonizing? He wiped away the tears. He still had to deal with Harry. He still had to lie to Harry. How would he do that? How would he save Harry from all this agony when his own heart was bursting with it? How would he lie to him about the life of a child that he had just buried with his own hands?

Voldemort stood up from the ground and pointed his wand towards the grave. A huge marble angel appeared at the head of the grave. The marble statue held a rectangular stone in its hand that read,

"Here lies Destrian, The Angel of Joy."

Voldemort bent down over the grave and kissed it,

"I shall not forget you, I promise."

He stood up and looked down at the grave. How could he leave Destrian here all alone in the dark? He clutched his chest and tried fruitlessly to control the endless stream of tears. He had to be strong. He had still had to face Harry.


	101. Chapter 101

Voldemort sat cross-legged on the ground besides Destrian's grave. He had his eyes closed and was solely focused on bringing his sentiments under control when a thought flashed through his mind. Was this the disaster Lovegood had talked about? Would Harry be safer if he stayed away from him? He was certain that he would lose control over his emotions again if he had to face Harry and then Harry would know that Destrian is gone forever.

He rose to his feet and made up his mind. He would stay away from Harry until he managed to control his emotions better. He vanished the dust from his robes and took one last tearful look at the grave before apparating.

He appeared inside his room and collapsed in his armchair. Voldemort closed his eyes and slumped back in the chair. He did not want all these emotions. He did not need them. But now that he had them, he just couldn't get rid of them. Voldemort got up to his feet and wiped the tears away from his eyes. He paced the room restlessly. He just couldn't understand what to do. He kicked the wall in frustration and grabbed his hair with his hands. This was not natural. This was not who he was. When had he gotten so weak? How had he gotten so many feelings all of a sudden?

Voldemort walked to the bed and fell back on it. He stared up at the ceiling blankly. Unconsciously he raised his wand and drew the smoky patterns, that he had drawn for Destrian, in the air. He smiled softly as he remembered how adorably Destrian had laughed when he had made those patterns shift and move. He laughed at the memory until he cried. He just couldn't get rid of these tears. They made him feel oddly alive. He felt an unknown strength rushing through his blood.

Maybe these sentiments were making him stronger rather than weaker. Was this the prophesized power? Was this the power that Harry possessed? Maybe, but he wasn't certain. He wiped away the smoky shapes in the air with a flick of his wand and closed his eyes. Soon, he fell into a restless sleep.

Harry woke up feeling extremely exhausted. He remembered what had happened and was about to jump out of bed when a hand came to rest on his shoulder and pushed him back in bed,

"Relax, Harry."

Harry opened his eyes and saw Sanguini sitting on the edge of the bed. Harry saw Sanguini read the question in Harry's eyes and spoke softly,

"Destrian is fine. His mother stole him away."

Sanguini didn't enjoy lying but he had to lie. He could tell that Harry wasn't satisfied with the answer. Finally, he spoke,

"I want to see him."

Sanguini patted Harry on the shoulder and spoke gently,

"Harry, we don't know where he is. His parents disappeared with him. I believe that they do not want to be found."

Harry buried his face in the pillow and cried. He didn't believe it. He wouldn't believe it until HE SAW Destrian with his own eyes. He felt restless. Something wasn't right. His heart was racing and his breathing was shallow.

Sanguini observed Harry and he felt something stir in his heart. This wasn't fair to Harry. Harry deserved to know the truth. But he was certain that the truth would kill him. He stroked Harry's hair softly and spoke gently,

"Harry, you must understand. You need to calm down."

Harry inquired without lifting his head from the pillow,

"Where is Voldemort?"

Sanguini continued to stroke Harry's hair and spoke,

"He is busy. He shall visit you as soon as he gets free."

Harry hugged the covers closer to himself and spoke,

"I want to be alone."

Sanguini stood up,

"Harry, you must eat something."

Harry shook his head,

"I just want to be alone."

Sanguini walked out of the room. Harry turned around and pulled his head out of the pillow. His gaze took in the empty cot beside him and he felt his heart ache. He didn't feel alright. He stared at the ceiling vacantly and hoped and prayed that Destrian was alright, wherever he was.

Voldemort sat in his office at Malfoy Manor with his feet over the table. Lucius Malfoy stood in front of him and trembled in fear. Voldemort finally issued a single order,

"I wish to see Luna Lovegood."

Lucius Malfoy all but ran from the room to fulfil the command. Voldemort conjured a mirror and looked at the sight of Harry in the mirror. Concern clouded his eyes as he saw Harry's tear-filled eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling. He couldn't bear to see him like this. Voldemort vanished the mirror and heard the door open. He swung his feet from the table and sat up straighter as Luna Lovegood walked into the office. Voldemort was about to speak when Luna Lovegood spoke first,

"I am not your slave. You cannot summon me whenever you wish to speak to me."

Voldemort felt infuriated but controlled his rage,

"You spoke of a disaster when we last talked. Has that happened?"

Luna considered Voldemort and smiled slyly,

"I believe that it has. I hope that you have not been anywhere near Harry."

Voldemort nodded his head quietly and spoke,

"I have not but for how long must I keep my distance?"

Luna sat down in the armchair,

"You have acquired sentiments. Soon you shall acquire something more."

Voldemort raised an eyebrow in puzzlement,

"Is that your prediction?"

Luna ignored the question and spoke,

"Dumbledore is growing stronger. You must strike him down while you have the chance."

Voldemort scratched his chin and contemplated what Luna had just said,

"I shall consider it."

Luna sat up straighter and spoke,

"I must visit Harry. It would be favourable if you send Sirius Black along with me."

Voldemort considered the request and then spoke,

"That shall be arranged."

Luna stood up and had just reached the doorway when she turned and spoke,

"I highly recommend that you view yourself in a mirror right now."

Luna departed and left Voldemort in a state of utter confusion.


	102. Chapter 102

Harry sat in the armchair and stared blankly at the fire in the hearth. A thousand thoughts raced through his head and each one of those thoughts was about Destrian. Harry heard the door open and he closed his eyes. It was probably the maid again. She had been bringing him meals and taking them away, replacing them with new ones. He had lost his appetite. Harry heard her pick up the tray from the side table and replace it with another tray. He sighed and spoke,

"Take that away. I don't want it."

Harry knew that she was just following orders but he was sick of it. The scent of the food was making him sick. A voice spoke and Harry was forced to open his eyes,

"Leave."

The maid hurried out of the room and Harry saw Sirius and Luna standing infront of him. Harry rose up to his feet and swayed unsteadily. Sirius immediately rushed forward and held him upright,

"Look at you, Harry. You've grown so weak."

Harry hugged Sirius tightly and buried his face in his shoulder,

"Sirius, I missed you."

Sirius patted Harry on the head and led him to the bed. He sat him down on it and took a seat beside him. Luna finally spoke,

"Harry, how are you?"

Harry shrugged and held onto Sirius,

"I don't know."

Suddenly a thought flashed through Harry's head and he asked,

"You're a seer, right? Tell me that Destrian is safe. Tell me that he's fine. "

Luna sat down beside Harry and spoke softly,

"He is happy."

Sirius rubbed soothing circles on Harry's back and spoke gently,

"Relax, Harry. You're getting worried for nothing."

Harry couldn't control the turmoil in his heart. Luna's statement did not ease his restlessness. He turned and looked into Sirius's eyes,

"Sirius, I don't feel alright. I don't know what's wrong with me but I feel as if Destrian is calling me. I feel like he's crying somewhere."

Sirius held onto Harry's shoulders and shook his head,

"He is safe, Harry. Please, calm down."

Harry pulled himself away from Sirius,

"You don't understand, Sirius. You can't understand. He needs me. Destrian needs me. I have to see him…"

Harry broke down into hysterical sobs and Sirius hugged him tighter. Luna looked at Harry and waved her wand. Instantly Harry's sobs died down and his form grew limp. Sirius lost control over his own emotions and he cried. He couldn't forget the hope in those emerald green eyes. He was certain that if that hope shattered then Harry would shatter with it. Harry's condition was precarious. Sirius finally spoke,

"We have to obliviate him. This isn't right."

Luna raised her hand and spoke,

"We can't."

Sirius kissed Harry's head,

"He's not alright. He won't be alright until he sees that child."

Luna vanished the cot with a wave of her wand and stared dreamily out of the window,

"He will survive."

She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Harry's limp form,

"Stay with him, Sirius. I'll be back."

Luna stepped out of the room and walked towards the meeting room. She stepped inside and felt satisfied to see the Vampire Lords in place. Silently she took a seat and Sanguini spoke,

"What brings you to this castle, Miss Lovegood?"

Luna regarded him dreamily and then spoke,

"I have foreseen your future and it is not in your favour."

Roy slammed his hands on the table,

"We are not interested in your lies."

Luna smiled sadly and spoke,

"You shall be the first to burn."

She turned to Sanguini and regarded him with a smirk,

"You, on the other hand will survive."

Roy rose to his feet and was about to walk out when Luna appeared in front of him. He stepped back in amazement and regarded her with puzzlement,

"You can avoid your fate. Pledge your loyalty to Lord Voldemort and you may escape his wrath."

Roy saw nothing but flames surrounding him and he stepped back and began to shout and scream as they began to consume him. Luna flicked her wand and the flames vanished. Roy knelt on the floor and looked mollified,

"Heed my warning or suffer the consequences."

Luna swept out of the room and made her way back to Harry's room. Sanguini followed her and spoke,

"Miss Lovegood, are you here to help Harry?"

Luna halted in her stride and turned around to face Sanguini,

"Harry cannot be helped."

Concern darkened his face and he spoke,

"But he cannot live like this. He may forget about it for a few days he will know the truth someday."

Luna drew closer to Sanguini and spoke,

"Why are you so concerned about him?"

Sanguini sighed and looked at his feet,

"Because I looked him in the eyes and lied to him. I have wronged him."

He turned his back to Luna was about to walk away when he turned back and spoke,

"You are right about one thing. Harry really cannot be saved. Who would save him when he has a spouse like Lord Voldemort and friends like you?"

Luna watched Sanguini walk away and felt a stray tear slide down her cheek. She wiped it away instantly. No one could ever understand her actions. She was doing all of this for Harry. All of her endeavours were to save Harry. She would be successful, no matter what. She would not abandon Harry like everyone else. Luna stepped back into Harry's room.

Sirius had laid Harry down on the bed and pulled the covers over him. He sat beside him and stared emptily at him. He remembered all the times that Harry had smiled. All the times when Harry had laughed and teased him. He remembered all the times when Harry had been happy. He wanted that Harry back. He wanted to see him smile again. He wanted to see him laugh again but it seemed as if that would never happen. He knew exactly what Harry felt for Destrian. He knew that because he felt the same way.


	103. Chapter 103

Sirius didn't know when he dozed off. He woke up to the sound of tortured screams. He woke up with a start and realized that Harry was screaming. He sat up straighter and shook Harry,

"Harry, wake up. Please wake up."

Luna sat by the fireplace calmly and continued to read the book. Sirius turned to her and yelled out,

"You have to help him."

She looked up at Sirius and smiled sadly,

"Harry cannot be helped."

Sirius stared incredulously at her and then turned back to Harry. He attempted to wake him up but to no avail. He held Harry close to his chest and muffled his screams.

Luna rose to her feet and walked out of the room. Tears slid down her cheeks and she didn't make a move to wipe them away. She knew that Sirius would hate her for this but Sirius couldn't understand. No one could ever understand. She leaned back against the wall and wiped away the tears. A voice spoke beside her,

"Miss Lovegood, what are you doing here?"

She turned and found Sanguini standing there with his arms folded behind his back. She knew that Sanguini had seen her tears. She turned away and spoke,

"I do not wish to discuss it."

She felt his cold touch on her chin and soon she was staring into Sanguini's deep black eyes,

"Maybe you should. After all, it might help you feel better."

Luna pulled away,

"Seers do not discuss their feelings."

Sanguini turned his back to her and spoke,

"But seers do have a heart. It might just explode from everything you are holding in there. It happened to your mother. I do not wish the same to happen to you."

Luna stared at Sanguini's back speechlessly as tears slid down her cheeks. She managed to get the words out,

"She died because of a wand accident. I was there, I saw it."

Sanguini spoke barely above a whisper,

"You saw nothing."

Sanguini was about to walk away when he halted in his steps. He immediately turned back and rushed into Harry's room. The lights went out and the fire was extinguished as Sanguini sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Harry's limp form in Sirius's arms. Tears steamed up in his eyes and his hands balled into fists.

Sirius looked at the Vampire and spoke,

"What's wrong?"

Sanguini had his gaze lowered. This was all because of Vincent. He wished with all his heart that the man was burning in the deepest darkest pits of hell. Sirius asked,

"What's wrong? Tell me."

Sanguini looked up and met Sirius's gaze,

"The child is dead."

Sirius hugged Harry closer to him,

"Not again…you're wrong…you have to be wrong."

Luna stood outside the door and listened to Sirius's cries of denial. She re-entered the room and gently spoke,

"He is right."

Sirius turned to look at her with eyes blazing with rage,

"You knew…. That's why you brought me here. How could you? I could have done something. I would have done anything to save him from this torment."

Luna felt her patience wear thin and she finally yelled out,

"IT'S NOT EASY FOR ME! Do you think that I let this happen on purpose? Do you know what it feels like to know that your friend will suffer but you can't do anything about it? You cannot begin to imagine how helpless and worthless I feel."

Sirius felt embarrassed and his gaze turned back to Harry as tears continued to pour down his eyes,

"He can't deal with this. This time he knew. How will he deal with this?"

Sanguini rose to his feet and spoke,

"I must inform Lord Voldemort."

Luna nodded her head and spoke,

"Yes, inform him."

Sanguini departed from the room and Luna felt the incredible urge to talk to him. Was Sanguini right? She would contemplate on that later. Luna walked closer to Harry and sat down on the edge of the bed,

"Sirius, everything will be alright."

Sirius looked up at Luna and met her gaze,

"Is that a prediction?"

Luna smiled ruefully and spoke,

"It is an ending but to reach that we must go through all the twist and turns."

Sirius kissed Harry on the head,

"He doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve any of it."

Luna patted Sirius on the shoulder and stood up. She took Harry's wrist in her hand and checked his pulse. She kissed Harry's cheek and softly whispered in his ear,

"Don't break, Harry."

After that she drew away and sat down in the armchair. Luna conjured the book and began reading but her mind was elsewhere. She would have to talk to Sanguini. The vampire knew something that she didn't know.

She was lost in these thoughts when the door burst open with a loud bang and Voldemort's towering form, stood in the doorway. He swept towards Harry with a single movement and took him away from Sirius,

"Get lost, Black."

Sirius rose to his feet and stepped back but didn't show any inclination to leave the room. Voldemort immediately roared out in rage and Sirius screamed as the mark on his forearm burned with excruciating intensity,

"GET LOST!"

Sirius stumbled out of the room and Voldemort locked the door with a wave of his wand. His gaze softened and his enraged expression instantly melted into one of grief and sorrow. He wrapped his arms around Harry and held him closer to his chest,

"Harry, wake up."

Luna spoke,

"It's better if he does not…."

Voldemort immediately raised up his hand and spoke in deadly voice,

"Do not speak, Miss Lovegood unless you wish to die."

Luna rose to her feet and drew closer to Voldemort,

"You were aware of Harry's state. This would have happened sooner or later."

Voldemort laid Harry down on the bed gently and gripped Luna by the throat,

"Do not test my patience."

Luna closed her eyes and pulled herself away,

"You know that I am correct and this is for the best."

Voldemort's gaze turned to Harry and he collapsed on the bed. He gathered Harry in his arms again and kissed his forehead. He finally spoke,

"I wish to take him back with me."

Luna shook her head,

"One more day."

Voldemort cursed and spoke,

"How many more disasters must I endure?"

Luna turned away and whispered,

"Endurance is the key to success."

Voldemort shook his head. He raised Harry in an upright position and conjured a potion to get rid of the remains of the dead child from inside Harry. Gently he tilted the flask and fed Harry the potion. After he was done, he rose to his feet and spoke,

"I shall return for him tomorrow."

Voldemort kissed Harry one last time and then vanished.


	104. Chapter 104

Harry woke up feeling extremely heavy headed. He clutched his stomach as he felt an intense wave of pain hit him. A cry escaped his lips and Sirius rested his hand on Harry's head,

"Take a deep breath."

Harry drew a deep breath. He knew that something was terribly wrong. He could feel it. He opened his eyes and met Sirius's gaze,

"What's wrong with me?"

Sirius averted his eyes and didn't reply. Harry clutched his stomach and curled into himself,

"Tell me, Sirius."

Luna appeared and sat down beside him,

"Harry, relax."

But Harry was far from relaxing. He was panicking because he could guess what had happened. His heart was racing and his breathing was shallow,

"Tell me please."

Luna kissed his forehead and whispered softly,

"Harry, you had a miscarriage."

An anguished cry escaped Harry's lips,

"No…That's wrong…...That can't be right."

Sirius hugged Harry closer to his chest and muffled his cries,

"It's alright, Harry."

Harry had his arms wrapped around his stomach. This was his fault. This was all his fault. He had murdered his unborn child. He had murdered Voldemort's unborn child. Fear gripped his heart at the thought of Voldemort finding out. Sirius rubbed his back gently, hugged him tighter and continued to comfort him but he was far from it. Voldemort would find Destrian and kill him if he found out that he had lost the child. Harry screamed in agony and Sirius felt his concern double. Luna forced Harry to face her and spoke gently,

"It is not the end of the world, Harry."

A river of tears streamed down Harry's cheeks,

"I killed it…I can't believe I killed it."

Luna slapped Harry hard across the face,

"Come back to your senses, Harry. You have been drowning in insanity for the past 3 days without any reason."

Sirius was about to speak when Luna raised her hand to silence him,

"Don't say anything, Sirius. Yes, you killed your own child, Harry. Your child died because of your carelessness and your foolishness and if you don't stop this then you will die as well. I will not allow you to die. Do you understand me, Harry James Potter?"

Harry closed his eyes and hugged himself tighter,

"I want to die. Just let me die. He will kill me anyway for what I've done."

Luna spoke again but this time her tone was softer,

"He will be arriving today to take you away with him."

Harry trembled and spoke in a broken voice,

"I don't want to go with him."

Luna conjured a potion and signalled Sirius to get Harry in an upright position. Sirius hesitated but then forced Harry up into a sitting position. Luna forced the potion down Harry's throat.

Harry felt himself unwillingly swallow the potion. He pulled himself away from Sirius and asked,

"What did you …"

But he couldn't finish the question as he felt the pain vanish from his entire body. Luna tucked her wand behind her ear and spoke,

"Get up and take a shower."

Harry felt incredulous at being ordered around by Luna. He got up to his feet unsteadily. Harry was about to enter the bathroom when Luna spoke,

"No more tears, Harry."

Harry realized that the bath tub was already filled with steaming hot water. Harry stepped in slowly and felt the world fall away as the heavenly warmth of the water engulfed him. His hand came to rest on his stomach and he felt tears well up in his eyes again. What had he done? He had gotten so lost in his madness that he had forgotten all about the child to come. How had he been so selfish? How could he have been so foolish?

"I'm so sorry."

Who was he apologizing to? Was he apologizing to the child or Voldemort? Did he deserve to be forgiven? No, Voldemort would never forgive him. The man had reminded him over and over again of the consequences of losing the child. He was doomed and he deserved it. But what of Voldemort killed Destrian? What would he do then? No, he would beg, he would plead, he would do anything to save Destrian. Luna's voice broke Harry's train of thought,

"Are you crying, Harry?"

Harry didn't reply. He knew that Luna had his best interest at heart but wasn't he allowed to mourn his mistakes. Harry finished his bath and stepped out of the bathroom dressed in fresh clothes. Luna smiled when she saw him and straightened out his collar,

"You finally look sane, Harry."

She applied a drying charm on his hair and made him sit down,

"You need to eat."

She conjured a tray laden with all manners of snacks and signalled Harry to eat. Harry picked a sandwich and ate in silence. He wasn't hungry. His appetite was dead. But he only ate because Luna was glaring daggers at him. Harry finished his sandwich. Luna forced him to eat another. Harry felt some of the strength returning to his body and his head felt clearer.

He had just finished eating when the door opened. Sanguini stepped in, the fire extinguished and the lights dimmed. He beamed when he saw Harry,

"Harry, how are you feeling now?"

Harry looked up at Sanguini and spoke,

"I'm fine."

Luna handed Harry a glass of pumpkin juice,

"Drink."

Sanguini patted Harry on the shoulder,

"I see that you are in capable hands."

Harry drank the juice in silence. He didn't feel like talking. Even though Sanguini was smiling on the outside, Harry had seen the pity in his eyes. He was internally terrified of what was coming. How was he going to face Voldemort? How was he going to beg him for Destrian's life? Harry felt his heart ache. For the first time, he felt that he was worse than Voldemort. He had fallen in his own eyes. How would he ever redeem himself? Luna sat down beside him and patted him on the shoulder,

"It's going to be alright. Trust me."

Harry wished that Luna was right. He wished with all his heart that everything would be fine.


	105. Chapter 105

Harry lay back on the bed with his legs dangling over the edge. Sirius and Luna had left a while ago. He had been relieved to see them go because he had nothing to say to them. The door opened and Harry instantly shot up into a sitting position at the sound. He saw Voldemort standing in the doorway and lowered his gaze. Voldemort stepped closer to him and Harry felt his heart racing. He was terrified of what was coming. Voldemort signalled Harry to stand up and Harry obeyed.

Harry stood up immediately but kept his gaze down. Voldemort gripped his arm wordlessly and instantly Harry felt the uncomfortable sensation of side along apparition. Harry closed his eyes and only opened them when his feet hit solid ground. He looked around and didn't recognize the place. They stood found himself in a vast chamber containing an underground lake, with a solitary island at its centre from which a faint green light was visible. Harry felt an eerie chill run down his spine. Voldemort lit his wand but the darkness was somehow denser than normal darkness. Harry found the place and the silence oppressive and unnerving. He wanted to ask Voldemort where they were but couldn't sum up the strength.

Voldemort set off around the edge of the lake, and Harry followed close behind him. Their footsteps made echoing, slapping sounds on the narrow rim of rock that surrounded the water. On and on they walked, but the view did not vary: on one side of them, the rough cavern wall, on the other, the boundless expanse of smooth, glassy blackness, in the very middle of which was that mysterious greenish glow.

Harry shivered violently with the cold. He felt cold, extremely cold. Voldemort waved his wand and a thick coppery green chain appeared out of thin air, extending from the depths of the water into Voldemort's clenched hand. Harry felt fascinated but terrified at the same time.

Voldemort tapped the chain, which began to slide through his fist like a snake, coiling itself on the ground with a clinking sound that echoed noisily off the rocky walls, pulling something from the depths of the black water. Harry gasped as the ghostly prow of a tiny boat broke the surface, glowing as green as the chain, and floated, with barely a ripple, toward the place on the bank where Harry and Voldemort stood.

Voldemort silently signalled Harry to get in the boat. Harry climbed carefully into the boat. Voldemort stepped in too, coiling the chain onto the floor. They were crammed in together. Harry couldn't comfortably sit, but crouched. The boat began to move at once. There was no sound other than the silken rustle of the boat's prow cleaving the water; it moved without their help, as though an invisible rope was pulling it onward toward the light in the centre. Soon they could no longer see the walls of the cavern; they might have been at sea except that there were no waves.

Voldemort was oddly quiet and stared ahead. Harry looked down at the smooth black surface of the water and saw something white, floating inches below it. Harry felt a sick feeling rise in his throat. Something sinister lurked underneath the water and Harry was very much terrified of it. The boat moved ahead and the wand light slid over a fresh patch of water and showed him, this time, a dead man lying face up inches beneath the surface, his open eyes misted as though with cobwebs, his hair and his robes swirling around him like smoke. Harry covered his mouth with his hand to stop the gasp that escaped his lips.

Harry couldn't pretend now that he was not scared. He knew that the fear was obvious in his eyes. What were they doing here? Why had Voldemort brought him here? What was this place anyway? Harry looked up and realized that the greenish light seemed to be growing larger at last, and within minutes, the boat came to a halt, bumping gently into something that Harry could not see at first, but then he saw that they had reached a small island of smooth rock in the centre of the lake.

Voldemort rose gracefully from the boat and Harry did the same. The island was an expanse of flat dark stone on which stood nothing but the source of that greenish light, which looked much brighter when viewed close to. Harry squinted at it; at first, he thought it was a lamp of some kind, but then he saw that the light was coming from a stone basin. Voldemort approached the basin and Harry followed. Side by side, they looked down into it. The basin was full of an emerald liquid emitting that phosphorescent glow.

Harry was burning to ask the questions that were running through his head. Voldemort hadn't said a word ever since he had appeared. Harry was certain that Voldemort knew about what had happened. Was Voldemort going to punish him? A violent thought flashed through Harry's brain where he imagined Voldemort chaining him and leaving him here to rot. Harry shook his head but the image stayed. Harry tried to distract himself and raised his hand to touch the potion but was met an invisible barrier that prevented him coming within an inch of it. No matter how hard he pushed, his fingers encountered nothing but what seemed to be solid and inflexible air.

Harry stepped back. What was going on? Why was there a barrier around the potion? Harry looked down at the basin and saw his face reflected, upside down, in the smooth surface of the green potion. What was this potion? Harry felt that whatever it was, it wasn't anything good. He unconsciously moved his fingers over the barrier as he remembered the image he had conjured up a while ago and tried to understand where the potion fit in that scenario. He couldn't figure it out. Voldemort's cold voice finally echoed through the cavern,

"Enough."

Harry knew that Voldemort was referring to his thoughts but he just couldn't stop thinking. Voldemort drew closer to Harry and Harry's eyes widened in shock as he met Voldemort's gaze. A gasp escaped his lips and he took a step back.


	106. Chapter 106

Harry stepped back in shock and spoke,

"Your eyes…."

Voldemort gripped Harry's arm tightly as Harry nearly stepped over the edge and fell into the black, still water. Harry didn't take his eyes away from Voldemort's for even a split second. The crimson hellish orbs had been replaced by dark brown eyes. Harry wanted to pinch himself to make himself believe that this wasn't a dream. How could Voldemort look so human?

Harry closed his eyes. Voldemort released him and walked back to the basin. He finally spoke,

"Come here, Harry."

Harry opened his eyes and stepped closer to the basin. Voldemort conjured a crystal goblet and handed it to Harry,

"I wish for you to drink the potion until the basin is empty."

Harry looked down at the greenish potion and spoke,

"What is it?"

Voldemort held a finger to Harry's lips,

"I shall not be answering any of your questions."

Harry was scared but he knew that this was Voldemort's way of punishing him for the miscarriage. Harry moved the goblet towards the basin and he felt astonished when he didn't encounter that magical barrier again. He filled the goblet to the brim and pulled it out. He told himself that he deserved this and drank the potion in one gulp.

Harry had his eyes closed tightly as he filled the goblet again. Fuzzy shapes clouded his mind but he paid them no heed and downed the contents of the goblet. Harry drew a deep breath as the shapes began to come into focus and became hazy blurs. He would not lose his focus. He deserved all this. Harry filled the goblet for a third time and drank the potion.

The shapes began to grow clearer and Harry saw the scene unfold. He saw his mother standing infront of his cot and shielding him from Voldemort. He heard her beg for mercy. He heard her cry. Harry had been in the middle of filling the goblet with the potion again when he staggered and fell forward.

Voldemort grabbed the goblet and held Harry around the waist tightly. He held the potion to Harry's lips and tipped it. As soon as he drank Harry's shrill cry echoed through the cavern.

Harry watched the jet of green light collide with his mother and screamed. The scene disappeared into the fog again and Harry momentarily returned to his senses to feel Voldemort feeding him the potion again. Harry shook his head and spoke out in a hoarse voice,

"No more…."

His voice died down as another scene materialized out of the fog and Harry saw snippets of the rough treatment that the Dursleys had given him. He cried loudly but before Harry could cry anymore, Voldemort tipped the potion and Harry was forced to swallow.

The memories grew more vivid and Harry felt his insides burning up. Harry saw a dementor sucking the life out of Sirius and cried out,

"Nooo….stop."

Voldemort refilled the goblet and held it close to Harry's lips and fed him the potion. Harry saw the scene change and he was being ravaged by Voldemort. Harry screamed and struggled against Voldemort. Voldemort restrained him and fed him the next goblet full of potion.

Harry swallowed it unwillingly and struggled against the restraints,

"No…Don't touch me…NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Voldemort filled the goblet again and held it to Harry's lips again. Harry kept his lips sealed shut and refused to drink but Voldemort forced Harry's jaw open and force-fed him the potion. Harry stood before Voldemort as Voldemort placed the ring on his finger and he struggled worse than before,

"Stop…JUST STOP…. PLEASE…."

Voldemort forced Harry to swallow another goblet of the green potion and Harry screamed worse than before. He was being whipped by Voldemort and he screamed out in agony.

Voldemort looked down at the basin and realized that the potion was almost gone and the golden locket was now visible. He filled the remaining potion in the goblet and fed it to Harry.

Harry stood infront of the empty cot and screamed,

"Destrian….."

Voldemort collapsed on his knees besides Harry at Destrian's name and hugged Harry close to himself. He pulled out the phial of the antidote from inside his robes and held it close to Harry's lips. Harry shook his head and refused to drink,

"I don't want…."

Voldemort kissed Harry's forehead gently and spoke,

"Harry, relax. Everything shall be fine."

Harry drank the antidote and his form grew limp in Voldemort's arms. Harry moaned in his unconsciousness,

"Water…"

Voldemort waved his wand and an inferi from the lake crawled on the shore. He handed him the goblet and issued a silent order. The inferi obeyed silently and returned soon with the goblet full of water. Voldemort held the goblet to Harry's pale lips and Harry drank thirstily.

Satisfied with Harry's condition, Voldemort rose to his feet and took the locket from the basin. He felt it in his hand and the alarms blared in his head. He opened the locket with a wave of his wand and howled out in rage. His gaze travelled towards Harry's limp form and he felt his rage double.

He pulled out the piece of parchment and read it at lightning fast speed. Once done, he ripped the parchment into tiny pieces and threw them away.

He moved to Harry and picked him up in his arms and got in the boat. Once across the lake, Voldemort jumped out of the boat with Harry in his arms and raced out of the cave. How had this happened? How had he not sensed the absence of his horcrux? Had he misread the location of his horcrux? Possibly, because at that moment, he had been too focused on Harry as a horcrux.

Voldemort apparated and appeared in the living room of Malfoy Manor and roared out an order to a terrified Lucius Malfoy,

"Get me Black now!"


	107. Chapter 107

Sirius black knelt in front of Voldemort and trembled in fear. His gaze drifted off towards Harry's limp form laying on the couch behind him. Voldemort was infuriated and his rage was evident by the condition of those who had just suffered his wrath,

"My lord…"

Voldemort raised his hand and silenced him,

"Your brother stole something from me. If he were alive, I would Crucio the truth out of him but since that is not the case, I intend to torture you."

Sirius fell at Voldemort's feet and implored,

"I shall find it, my lord. I shall do anything to find it."

Voldemort chuckled softly and grabbed Sirius by the hair,

"I already know where it is, Black. There is something else that I need you to do."

Voldemort cast the cruciatus curse on Sirius. Instantly Sirius's screams echoed through the living room. Harry stirred at the sound and moaned out in his unconsciousness. Voldemort lifted the curse and sat down beside Harry on the couch. He caressed Harry's cheek and spoke,

"Harry, how are you?"

Harry opened his eyes and met Voldemort's gaze. He immediately turned his head and his gaze landed on Sirius laying on the floor and panting. Harry raised himself into a sitting position. Voldemort dismissed his death eaters and closed the door with a wave of his wand,

"Destrian…..."

Voldemort turned to Harry and gripped his jaw tightly,

"I do not wish to hear that name again."

Harry closed his eyes and shook his head,

"I can't forget him."

Voldemort tightened his grip and spoke,

"Have you mourned our child as much as you have mourned Destrian? Our child is dead because of you. Have you considered that?"

Harry kept his eyes closed tightly and felt tears stream down his cheeks. Voldemort forced Harry to meet his gaze,

"Destrian is alive and well. Are you not happy that he is with his parents? Are you not happy that he has been saved from living the life of an orphan like us?"

Harry lowered his gaze and closed his eyes. His arms wrapped around his stomach and he cried. Sirius raised himself into a kneeling position and spoke,

"It's not his fault."

Voldemort pointed his wand towards Sirius and spoke,

"You shall not interfere in our private matters."

Harry couldn't stop crying. Voldemort was right. This was all his fault. He had killed his own child. Voldemort wiped away Harry's tears and spoke gently,

"Harry, forget about them. Your tears shall not bring them back to you."

Harry couldn't stop. He couldn't stop the tears. Voldemort wiped them away forcefully and spoke,

"You shall not cry on this matter again. Is that understood?"

Harry nodded his head silently and looked down at his feet.

Voldemort turned to Sirius and spoke,

"You shall entrust Grimmauld Place to Harry along with that wretched house elf."

Sirius looked thunderstruck but concealed his surprise,

"My lord, the order shall realize that I am your spy."

Voldemort shook his head,

"It does not matter anymore. I shall be taking over the ministry and Hogwarts very soon."

Voldemort waved his wand and conjured a piece of paper and spoke,

"You shall sign it with your blood."

Harry looked at Sirius and spoke,

"I don't want it."

Voldemort turned to Harry and spoke,

"It is not for you."

Harry rose to his feet and spoke calmly,

"But you're using my name. I don't know what you want but I won't help you."

Voldemort dismissed Sirius and when he had left, he grabbed Harry by the throat and spoke,

"You shall do whatever I wish."

Harry laughed humourlessly and met Voldemort's gaze,

"Even if you look completely human now, you're still a monster deep inside. I can't believe that I started having feelings for you. Thank you for reminding me of everything that you did to me. I definitely needed that."

Voldemort instantly released Harry and spoke in a low voice,

"Feelings?"

Harry averted his gaze and turned his back to Voldemort. He couldn't reply. Why had he said that? Because it was true. He had developed feelings for Voldemort over the past few days but now after drinking that potion and feeling everything that Voldemort had done to him, those feelings were gone.

Voldemort looked at Harry's back and was completely immersed in his own thoughts. Harry had felt what he had felt. He realized how badly he had messed up. Harry had been finally inclining towards him. He had been growing closer to him and now he himself had pushed him away. They were back to where they had started.

Harry finally spoke,

"I want to go home."

Voldemort drew closer to Harry and took his arm in his grasp and they disapparated. Harry felt the abrupt suffocating sensation and felt relieved when it ended. He felt his feet touch solid ground and he looked around. He was standing in the orchard. He felt saddened to see that the flowers had lost their lustre and scent. The grass looked yellowed and dead. Harry stepped out of his shoes and stepped over the grass. Instantly a surge of magic rushed through the orchard and the grass turned lush green. The flowers glowed brighter and Harry felt a rush of various wonderful scents reach his nostrils.

He bent down and touched the flowers and smiled as he felt the castle's magic course through him. This was what Voldemort must have felt when he had been in Hogwarts a few days back. Harry breathed in the wonderful scent and felt his troubles float away. He was happy because the castle was happy. He was more than happy, he was elated. He felt as if he was walking on air. He hadn't felt this way since…since Destrian. Harry's smile vanished from his lips and he felt himself come crashing down. But before he could hit rock bottom, he felt a flower nudge his cheek. Harry caressed the delicate flower with his fingers. Destrian was with his parents. He was happy.

Harry stood up and regained his smile. The castle had missed him and he realized that he had missed the castle. This was his home and he was never going to leave it.


	108. Chapter 108

Harry rose to his feet and realized that Voldemort had vanished. Harry made his way inside the castle and walked through the winding corridors to his bedroom. He realized that he remembered the path. His feet automatically took all the right turns and he wound up in front of his bedroom door. Harry pushed open the door and found the room exactly how he had left it last time.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked around. His hands caressed the black silk covers softly. Harry pulled off his shoes and socks and laid back. He stared blankly at the ceiling and remembered all the times he had woken up and seen it. He looked at the bed and smiled as he remembered how much Voldemort had tormented him here and yet he didn't hate this place. Harry pulled himself up on the bed properly and pulled the covers over himself. He turned on his side and stared blankly at the empty space beside him.

Harry felt his heart ache with emotions. Why couldn't he stop missing Voldemort? That man was a monster. If he should feel anything for him, it should be hate. But he didn't hate him. He didn't hate Voldemort anymore. Harry closed his eyes and buried his face in the pillow. He wanted to just forget everything and sleep but sleep wouldn't come.

Harry tossed and turned several times. He kicked off the covers and then pulled them back on. But his pursuit for sleep turned out to be futile. He was about to change sides again when Voldemort's voice made him freeze,

"Harry, are you finding it difficult to sleep? Would you like a sleeping draught?"

Harry kept his eyes closed and spoke,

"Where were you?"

Voldemort chuckled softly and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Harry felt Voldemort sit down behind him and suddenly he felt his arm wrap around his waist and pull him back,

"I am not obligated to tell you my whereabouts."

Harry turned around and faced Voldemort,

"I'm your spouse. I have the right to know."

Voldemort caressed Harry's cheek softly and spoke,

"Have you truly accepted me as your spouse, Harry?"

Harry looked away and closed his eyes. Voldemort laughed his soft musical laugh and Harry felt butterflies flutter in his stomach. What was wrong with him? Had he gone insane? Voldemort stood up and vanished his robes. He changed into black silk pyjamas and got into bed beside Harry.

Harry shifted to his side and buried his face in the pillow. Voldemort pulled Harry into his arms and made him turn around to face him. Harry kept his eyes closed and didn't look at Voldemort. Voldemort gently moved his hands over Harry's back,

"Sleep, Harry."

Harry felt himself relax in Voldemort's arm. It was as if his brain had been yearning to hear those words. He immediately fell into a peaceful and trouble-free sleep.

Voldemort rested Harry's head on his shoulder and kissed his head,

"I missed you, Harry."

Voldemort felt sweet, blissful sleep finally return to him. He breathed in Harry's scent and closed his eyes. Almost instantly he fell into a deep sleep.

Voldemort found himself amidst a burning room. Flames surrounded him and the air was thick with smoke. He heard Harry screaming somewhere but he couldn't reach him. He plunged his hand in his pocket for his wand but realized that it was gone. Harry's screams grew louder and he felt his heart threatening to explode with the terror. He had to save Harry. He had to get to him. Voldemort tried to get through the flames but they only rose higher. He tried to walk through him but they burned brighter. He called out to Harry. He roared out for him but nothing worked. He felt the smoke beginning to suffocate him. Harry's screams reverberated through the room. He felt helpless. He couldn't help Harry. The room was shaking. The walls were coming down over him.

Harry awoke to the sound of unfamiliar screaming. His eyes shot open and he realized that Voldemort was screaming and thrashing in bed. Harry nearly gasped in shock. What was he supposed to do? He had to awaken him. How was he going to awaken Voldemort? Harry hesitantly touched Voldemort's face in an attempt to wake him up but nothing happened. Harry steeled himself and shook Voldemort gently. But that didn't work either so Harry grabbed his shoulders tightly and shook him violently,

"Wake up. You have to wake up."

Harry felt concerned. He shook Voldemort again,

"Please wake up. It's a nightmare. It's just a nightmare."

Voldemort's eyes shot open and his gaze met Harry's. He sighed out in relief and covered his face with his hands,

"You are alive. You are alright."

Harry felt extremely confused and spoke,

"I'm fine. How are you? What happened?"

Voldemort kept his eyes closed. It had been a nightmare. It had been nothing more than a nightmare. He could feel his heart racing. He had never had any nightmares before. How had he gotten this one?

Harry stared at Voldemort with extreme puzzlement. What had happened? He had thought that Voldemort didn't even have dreams let alone nightmares. But the way the man had been screaming, it was evident that he had been having a nightmare. Harry poured some water in a glass and cleared his throat,

"Um…...you should drink some water."

Voldemort sat up straighter and took the glass from Harry's hand. He downed it one and looked at Harry,

"You look pale, Harry. Were you concerned?"

Harry shook his head and tried to divert the question,

"Take a look in the mirror. You're paler than I am."

Voldemort conjured a mirror and looked at himself. He summoned a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Harry felt utterly perplexed. A thousand thoughts were running through his mind. Voldemort had looked so vulnerable when he had been screaming and thrashing in his nightmare. There had to be something wrong. He knew that Voldemort was more anxious than he let on.


	109. Chapter 109

Harry lay awake in bed and stared up at the ceiling. Voldemort had left hours ago. The sunlight filtered in through the curtains and brightened the room. A thousand thoughts ran through his head regarding Voldemort's nightmare. He hadn't asked Voldemort all the questions that he had been burning to ask and now they were just bouncing around in his head. Harry shook his head and sat up straight. He tried finger combing his long hair but realized that it was impossible because of how messy and tangled they were.

Harry took a shower and got dressed in a fresh pair of jeans and a forest green button up shirt. Harry stood in front of the mirror and painstakingly straightened out his hair. He desperately wished for a haircut but he knew that it would never be fulfilled as long as Voldemort was around. Why did Voldemort want him to have long hair anyway? Harry remembered how badly his scalp hurt whenever Voldemort pulled on them and deduced that it was just another thing that Voldemort wanted to use against him.

Harry pulled on his socks and shoes and stepped out of the room. He made his way to the kitchen and decided to make breakfast for himself. Harry reached the kitchen and admired how pristine it looked.

He made his way to the pantry and got some eggs, bacon, toast and other things that he would need. His gaze fell upon the chocolate and he picked it up as well on his way out. Harry set the basket on the counter and tore off the wrapper from the chocolate. Harry took a bite and savoured the wonderful sweetness. He knew that he was ruining his appetite but he could do whatever he wanted to do now. Harry was just wondering where the frying pan was when it appeared on the stove and the stove turned on by itself. Harry smiled, took another bite of his chocolate and spoke,

"Thanks."

He was becoming increasingly aware of how much he loved this castle, probably even more than Hogwarts. He got a feeling of ownership and affection from everything he touched and it was something he had longed for all his life. Harry began frying the bacon. An array of breakfast beverages appeared on the counter. Harry looked at them and knew that the castle was giving him options,

"Tea is fine."

Harry had had enough juice, the past couple of days. Everything except the teapot vanished.

Harry was just frying up some eggs when he heard the door open and turned around to find Voldemort leaning in the doorway. He turned his attention back to the frying pan. Harry realized that he had known deep down that Voldemort would appear if he cooked something. Had he knowingly tried to attract Voldemort's attention? Harry shook the thoughts away and plated the eggs. He then prepared the toast. After plating them up, Harry set them down on the small table and sat down.

Voldemort watched Harry work and admired how good he looked. He didn't fail to notice that Harry had combed his hair. He felt some semblance of calm return to him. He had been very disturbed after the nightmare. How had that even happened? He had never had any nightmares or dreams. He had scanned every book that he could find in order to discover the cause of the nightmare but he had found nothing. When he had returned to the room a few minutes ago, he had found that Harry wasn't there. He had checked the lawn first. The kitchen was the second place he had checked and he had found Harry nibbling away on chocolate and cooking. He looked happy. He made his way to the table and sat down.

Harry poured the tea in the cups and slid one towards Voldemort. He then picked up his knife and fork and began eating. Despite the chocolate, he was still hungry.

Voldemort began eating as well although he had no appetite. However, after the first bite, he felt compelled to keep eating. After finishing his breakfast, he sipped his tea and spoke,

"Harry, you shall be coming with me today."

Harry looked up and inquired,

"Where?"

Voldemort took another sip of his tea and spoke,

"Your godfather shall be signing over his house to you."

Harry wanted to argue again but there was no point in it. He didn't want to have that argument with Voldemort again. He spoke,

"Fine."

Voldemort had sensed that the topic had upset Harry to an extent. He then spoke again,

"Harry, you may transfer it back to your godfather once I have acquired my goals regarding it."

Harry weighed that suggestion in his head. Something was better than nothing,

"Okay."

They both drank the rest of their tea in amicable silence. Voldemort couldn't help but feel relaxed. He had never had a family nor wanted one but his opinion was rapidly changing. He had only wed Harry because he had wanted to bind Harry to himself in a bond that Harry could never escape from. At that time, he hadn't intended to form an emotional relationship with Harry but now he had. This castle had never felt as alive as it did now. It had never felt so peaceful then it was now. It had been the best decision that he had ever made.

Harry finished his tea and was about to get up to gather the empty plates from the table when they vanished on their own. Harry smiled again and spoke,

"Thank you."

Voldemort rose to his feet and spoke,

"Harry, I shall return to pick you up in a while."

Harry nodded his head silently and watched as Voldemort vanished. Harry stood up and exited the kitchen. He made his way to the lawn. As soon as he stepped out of the castle and into the lawns. He was greeted by the soft, sweet scent of the flowers and the gentle morning breeze. He breathed in the fresh air and sat down on the bench. He wished he knew what was going on in the outside world. As soon as he had wished it, a copy of the Daily Prophet appeared in his lap. Harry checked the date on the front page and his jaw dropped in amazement. He wanted to practically hug the castle right now.

Harry skimmed through the pages and found nothing of interest. Fudge had been replaced by some other man as minster of magic. Rufus Scrimgeour. Harry thought he looked more like an old loin than a man. He wondered if he was one of Voldemort's men but when he read the article, he grew certain of the fact that the new minister hated dark wizards. He was also certain that Voldemort hated the man as well and the new minister would soon be perishing if Voldemort's plans were anything to go by. He closed the newspaper and set it down on the bench. He didn't want to think about anything. Harry focused on the birds chirping and wanted to lose himself in the music.


	110. Chapter 110

Harry sat on a couch in the Malfoy's living room. Voldemort had left him here ten minutes ago and then vanished. He was better off back at the castle. At least he didn't feel so incredibly awkward there. Where had Voldemort gone anyway? Wasn't Sirius supposed to be here? Harry was just lost in these thoughts when Draco walked in to the living room leisurely but at the sight of Harry, grew stiff. Harry looked at Draco and spoke,

"Relax, this is your house. I'm merely a guest."

That did nothing to relax Draco. If anything, it aggravated him even more and a look of utter fear dawned on his face,

"Don't say that, my lord. You are the owner of this house."

Harry laughed at that and then spoke,

"Seriously, Draco. You're better off silent."

Harry leaned back on the couch and stared blankly at the fireplace.

Draco stood in the doorway, feeling a thousand different sensations running through his mind. He couldn't tear his gaze away from Harry. He wondered if it was just him or Harry was really growing more gorgeous day by day. Harry's laughter echoed in his ears and made butterflies flutter in his stomach. Harry's voice brought him out of his musings,

"Leave, Draco."

Draco shook his head and left the room. Harry sighed out in relief when he had left. He had felt Draco's lust and he had found it unbearable. What was wrong with Draco? Hadn't he learned a lesson from last time? Harry closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. He simply failed to understand Draco's obsession.

Harry's eyes snapped open as he heard the clicking of heels accompanied with raucous laughter. He watched warily as Bellatrix entered the living room followed by her sister and Draco's mother, Narcissa. Bellatrix regarded Harry with distaste and then drew closer to him,

"Why look who it is, Cissy? It's our Lord's little whore."

Narcissa rested her hand on Bellatrix's shoulder. Harry looked venomously at Bellatrix but remained silent. Ignoring her was his best option. Harry felt satisfied when he saw Bellatrix's smirk turn into a scowl. She had wanted him to react and Harry had foiled her plans by remaining quiet. Almost instantly she was seated beside him on the couch and had an arm around his waist. Her hands moved over his thighs as she whispered,

"How does it feel, Potter? How does it feel when he touches you? I bet it feels like heaven, doesn't it?"

Harry struggled to pull away and shouted,

"DON'T TOUCH ME."

Her grip tightened around his waist and she licked his cheek,

"His lips must have touched you everywhere. His flavour must be all over you. I must taste him. I shall taste him."

Bella's gaze was distant. She was barely breathing. Harry struggled against her again and looked imploringly at Narcissa, who stood as still as a statue,

"Get her away from me."

Narcissa turned around and walked away. Harry felt his hopes come crashing down. If Voldemort saw him like this then…... Harry pushed away that thought and tried to push Bellatrix away from him. Bellatrix tsked and bound his wrists with a wave of her wand. Harry felt a wave of horror course through his veins as Bellatrix unbuttoned his shirt,

"No…stop…"

His sentence was cut short as Bellatrix's bloody red lips claimed his. Harry struggled harder than before, but it was nearly impossible for him to move with his hands tied. Bellatrix had gone insane and Harry only wished that Voldemort would come back. Harry pulled his head back but Bellatrix straddled him and claimed his lips again. Harry felt breathless. He closed his eyes and screamed for Voldemort. Bellatrix removed her lips from his and bit down on his neck. Harry screamed out and the sound must have resounded through the manor.

Suddenly there was a bang and Bellatrix grew limp over Harry. Harry opened his eyes and attempted to push Bellatrix off him. A crack resounded through the room and Harry grew still. He felt Voldemort's wrath before he saw him. Instantly Bellatrix's limp form was pulled away from him and dumped unceremoniously on the floor. Harry looked up and found Voldemort standing there with Draco behind him. Voldemort drew closer to Harry and his gaze took in Harry's bound wrists. He vanished them with a wave of his wand and forced Harry to his feet.

Harry trembled and held his hand over his bleeding neck, where Bellatrix had bitten him. He was too shocked at this unexpected turn of events. Harry kept his gaze down and stood as still as possible. He was aware that his shirt was unbuttoned and his hair were dishevelled. He contemplated whether to correct his appearance. Voldemort was probably burning up with rage and Harry was readying himself for a violent reaction.

Voldemort scanned Harry from head to toe and felt unimaginable rage. He turned to Draco and spoke in a cold, expressionless voice,

"You have done well, Draco. I shall see to it that you are rewarded fittingly. Leave us."

Draco bowed and left. Voldemort closed the door and locked it with a wave of his wand. He drew closer to Harry and gripped him by the hair,

"Harry, look at me."

Harry looked up hesitantly into Voldemort's dark brown eyes and felt fear grip his heart as he saw them flash crimson. Lust, pure and intoxicating filled Voldemort's eyes and Harry closed his eyes. He wasn't ready for what was coming. He wasn't prepared. Voldemort wrapped his arm around Harry's waist and whispered in his ears,

"Harry, I really must lock you away. Why must you always incite lust in other people?"

Harry closed his eyes and shook uncontrollably. Voldemort held him tightly and spoke,

"Relax, Harry. I shall not hurt you…...at least not more than what is necessary."

Harry was breathless. This wasn't his fault. Voldemort kissed Harry's neck softly and licked away the blood. Harry shivered uncontrollably as Voldemort spoke softly,

"I shall have to claim you back."

Harry didn't want to imagine the horrors that that statement entailed. Voldemort pulled back and buttoned up Harry's shirt and corrected his hair,

"Your godfather shall be here any minute."

Harry nodded his head silently. He was terrified. He was more than terrified. Harry's heart was beating out of his chest. He wanted to say something in his defence. He was about to speak when Voldemort rested his finger on Harry's lips,

"Relax, Harry. You shall be allowed to justify yourself."


	111. Chapter 111

Harry sat extremely silent beside Voldemort. His gaze took in Bellatrix's limp form on the carpet in front of him and just wanted her to disappear. Harry could still taste her wretched lips on his and he couldn't help but wipe them with his hand. Harry knew that Voldemort was observing him very closely and that made him feel even more terrified.

There was a knock on the door and Harry thanked the heavens. Voldemort spoke in a cold, expressionless voice,

"Enter."

Sirius entered the room and bowed down in front of Voldemort. His gaze landed for a fraction of second on Bellatrix's unconscious form but looked away immediately. After kissing Voldemort's feet and gaining permission to sit down, he claimed the seat opposite them and conjured a piece of parchment,

"My lord, I have signed it."

Voldemort took the parchment and studied it for a while. He then spoke,

"Harry, sign it."

Harry looked up. He hadn't known that he was expected to sign as well. Harry looked at the parchment and wondered whether he was supposed to sign it with his blood as well. Voldemort took Harry's hand in his and traced his wand over Harry's thumb where a cut appeared. Harry hadn't been ready for that and tried to pull his hand back reflexively but Voldemort held on and tightened his grip. He forced Harry's thumb over the parchment and pulled it back after a few seconds.

Harry looked silently at his bloody thumb print and waited for Voldemort to release his hand. But Voldemort didn't. Instead he spoke,

"Leave us, Black."

Sirius rose to his feet and left the room silently. Voldemort turned to Harry and spoke,

"Summon Kreacher."

Harry felt fear grip his heart at being alone with Voldemort again. He hadn't wanted Sirius to leave,

"Harry, summon the house elf NOW."

Harry noticed the anger in Voldemort's voice, cleared his throat and called,

"Kreacher."

Nothing happened for a while but then with a crack Kreacher appeared in the living room. Voldemort smirked maliciously and Harry felt his grip tighten around his wrist. Kreacher collapsed on his knees at the sight of Voldemort and visibly trembled in fear,

"Where is my locket, elf?"

Kreacher let out a disturbing scream and spoke,

"Master Regulus gave it to Kreacher. Kreacher will not break Master's trust."

Voldemort laughed maliciously and spoke,

"So, it still resides in Grimmauld place. That is all the information that I required. You may re-join your treacherous master now."

Harry realized what Voldemort was going to do and cried out,

"No…."

Voldemort's grip grew impossibly tight around Harry's wrist and Harry's eyes watered with the pain. Harry still spoke,

"Please, he's just a house elf."

Voldemort pointed his wand at Kreacher and a flash of green light stole the light of life from Kreacher. Harry closed his eyes tightly. He couldn't bear to look at Kreacher's dead body. This was his fault. He shouldn't have called Kreacher here in the first place. He shouldn't have obeyed Voldemort. The pain in his wrist grew worse. Harry felt his hands ball into fists and he mentally dared Voldemort to break it. Voldemort laughed humourlessly and released Harry's wrist,

"I shall break it later. For the moment, I require you in your senses."

He rose to his feet and spoke,

"Let us pay a visit your new house, Harry."

Harry kept his eyes closed. Voldemort forced Harry to his feet and caressed his cheek softly,

"I adore your defiance, Harry. But it shall not help you in your current situation."

Harry refused to open his eyes. Voldemort gripped Harry's arm tightly and spoke,

"Harry, pray that the order is not using Grimmauld Place as their headquarters, otherwise I am afraid that there shall be a considerable amount of bloodshed."

Harry's eyes flew open at that prospect and he exclaimed,

"No…. Please no."

Voldemort laughed coldly,

"We shall see."

Harry's heart was beating out of his chest. He wished that no one was there. He couldn't watch anyone else die. Harry felt the uncomfortable sensation of side along apparition and kept his eyes closed. Harry heard voices. Multiple voices chattering lightly somewhere in the distance. He opened his eyes and looked at Voldemort beseechingly,

"Please, spare them."

Voldemort released Harry's arm and looked in his eyes,

"Harry, you shall not display any of your sentiments in front of them. You are not their friend anymore, you are my spouse."

Harry nodded his head silently. He was prepared to do anything. Voldemort wrapped his arm around Harry's waist and spoke,

"Let us proceed."

Voldemort led Harry through the corridor and into the dining room. Harry saw Mrs. Weasley sitting around the table, along with Mr. Weasley, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Remus. They all rose at the sight of Harry and Voldemort.

Voldemort looked around the room and spoke,

"Are their others present in this house?"

Mr. Weasley stepped forward and spoke,

"No."

Voldemort hummed in approval and waved his wand. The whole house rattled and shook and instantly something flew towards Voldemort, which he caught in his outstretched hand. Harry kept his gaze down. Voldemort laughed triumphantly and pocketed the object. His gaze zeroed in on Ginny, who was continuously staring at Harry and spoke,

"Miss Weasley, I shall carve your eyes out if you do not avert your gaze."

Ginny stepped past Mr. Weasley and gripped Harry's wrist,

"Harry does not belong to you."

Harry cursed Ginny's stupidity and snatched his wrist out of her grip,

"Don't touch me. He is my spouse and I am his."

Voldemort's grip had grown possessively tight around his waist and Harry wanted to get away from this place as soon as possible. Harry could sense the murderous intent radiating from Voldemort and spoke,

"This is my house now. You should probably leave."

Mr. Weasley pulled Ginny back and spoke,

"Yes, we'll leave now, Harry."

Harry turned to Voldemort and after summoning up all his courage, kissed his cheek and spoke sweetly,

"We should get going, husband dear."

Voldemort gripped Harry's arm and they apparated.


	112. Chapter 112

Harry felt his feet hit solid ground and with that he felt his heart threatening to beat out of his chest in fear. Harry opened his eyes and realized that they were back in Malfoy Manor. Voldemort released him and uttered a single order,

"Sit down."

Harry sat down on the couch and looked down at his feet. He mentally counted the punishments, Voldemort had in store for him and grew terrified of what was to come. He did have one ray of hope though. Voldemort would not torture him here. He would wait until they were back home, at the castle. Harry unconsciously rubbed his bruised wrist. It was definitely going to be broken soon.

Voldemort regarded Harry's thoughts with amusement. He did not intend to hurt him but he would most definitely break his wrist as penalty for disobedience. There was also the matter of Bellatrix. She had tainted His Harry with her impure lips and unworthy touches. He would most definitely need to claim Harry again. But before that he intended to punish Bella for her transgression. He would not kill her. She was after all his most loyal follower and he intended to use her his upcoming conquests. But he also needed to set an example for her in front of all his followers.

Voldemort felt the locket in his pocket and smirked. It would look gorgeous around Harry's neck. The neck he planned to ravage tonight. But before that he had another surprise planned Harry. He finally spoke,

"Harry, what punishment do you feel is befitting for Bella's crime?"

Harry looked up and met Voldemort's gaze. Voldemort adored the fear in them and restrained his desire to lick his lips.

Harry seemed lost for words. How was he supposed to suggest a punishment for Bella? Well he had an inkling that Voldemort would not kill her. He was also certain that Voldemort had already decided on a punishment for Bellatrix. Harry shuddered violently as he remembered her lips on his and he unconsciously wiped his lips again.

Voldemort observed Harry's action with rapt attention and grew certain that even Harry felt tainted. He wanted to claim Harry right here and now but he must wait. There was a knock on the door and Voldemort spoke,

"Enter."

Harry turned to look at who had arrived at the door and his jaw dropped when he realized that it was the twins. They both knelt in front of Voldemort, kissed his feet and spoke together,

"Greetings, my lord."

Voldemort signalled them to rise and spoke,

"I summoned you here for a very special purpose."

The twins kept their heads bowed and spoke,

"We are aware, my lord. Your will shall be done."

Voldemort seemed pleased with their reply and spoke,

"I wish for you to keep Harry company until night falls."

The twins bowed and spoke,

"It shall be done, my lord."

Harry looked at the twins and then Voldemort. Was Voldemort serious? He had chosen the twins to guard him. Harry rose to his feet and finally spoke,

"Why can't you just leave me at the castle till the evening?"

Voldemort tsked and spoke,

"No, Harry. I require your presence here. You shall be performing a task for me."

Harry wondered what Voldemort wanted him to do. It couldn't be anything good. He finally inquired,

"What task?"

Voldemort turned to the twins and spoke,

"You shall enlighten Harry about what must be done."

The twins bowed and nodded their heads. Voldemort patted them both on the head and then turned to Harry,

"Behave yourself, Harry."

And with that he vanished from the room.

Harry collapsed back on the couch and buried his face in his hands. Could this day get any worse? Maybe. He felt the twins sit down on either side of him and spoke,

"Harry, you just need to relax."

Harry pulled away his hands and spoke,

"What's the task?"

The twins sniggered and Harry saw them exchange a knowing look. Harry felt frustrated and asked again,

"Well tell me."

The twins smirked wickedly and spoke together,

"The task is for you to be happy."

Harry stared at them disbelievingly. Why would Voldemort care about his happiness? The twins were messing with him. Harry asked again,

"Seriously, tell me what the task is?"

The twins laughed together and spoke,

"The task really is for you to be happy. The Dark Lord believes that your isolation has made you depressed."

Harry laughed bitterly,

"My isolation? He's the one that isolated me. I'm doing everything he orders me to. I'm being everything that he wants me to be and now I'm not allowed to be depressed anymore."

Fred patted his shoulder and spoke,

"Mate, you're his spouse and he is very possessive about you."

George rested his hand on his other shoulder,

"He does care about you."

Harry rose to his feet and looked down at his bruised wrist,

"That's the best joke that you guys ever cracked."

If Voldemort cared, he wouldn't have threatened to break his wrist and punish him for something he hadn't done. Voldemort didn't care about him. The man was incapable of having emotions and sentiments. Harry doubted that he even had a heart. Harry finally asked them,

"Why did you join him?"

Fred and George exchanged a smirk and then spoke,

"Mainly because of you, Mate. We told you, we'd follow you anywhere."

Harry couldn't help but smile at that. He asked them the other question that was burning in his head,

"Did he brand you?"

The twins laughed at that. Harry wondered what was funny and asked them,

"What's so funny?"

They spoke in unison,

"Yeah he branded us but we didn't take the usual mark on the forearm. Our Dark Mark is actually very cool."

That piqued Harry's interest,

"Really? Can you show me?"

They both grinned mischievously and vanished their shirts. Harry's jaw dropped open as he saw the vivid Dark Mark imprinted on their chests. They both asked together,

"Pretty cool, right?"

Harry didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth and closed it. In the end he just spoke,

"Yeah, it's pretty cool."

They patted Harry on the shoulder,

"We really can't display it in public yet but we're certain that It'll knock all the ladies' dead when The Dark Lord is in power."

Harry couldn't fathom how the twins could feel so hopeful. Maybe the future wasn't that bad. When Harry was silent a long time, the twins spoke,

"Well, we finally started our very own joke shop. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Would you like to visit it?"

Harry looked at them questioningly,

"I don't think Voldemort will allow that."

Fred winked and George spoke,

"We convinced him that it was necessary for your joy."

Harry raised an eyebrow,

"And he allowed it?"

Fred and George took a bow and spoke,

"Have you ever known us to fail?"


	113. Chapter 113

Harry couldn't help but feel fascinated as he looked around the store. He stared around, looking up at the boxes piled to the ceiling: Here were the Skiving Snackboxes that the twins had perfected during their last, unfinished year at Hogwarts; Harry noticed that the Nosebleed Nougat was most popular, with only one battered box left on the shelf. There were bins full of trick wands, the cheapest merely turning into rubber chickens or pairs of briefs when waved, the most expensive beating the unwary user around the head and neck, and boxes of quills, which came in Self-Inking, Spell-Checking, and Smart-Answer varieties.

George pushed back a curtain beside the Muggle tricks and Harry saw a darker, less crowded room. The packaging on the products lining these shelves was more subdued. The twins showed him all their defence against the dark arts products and Harry felt massively impressed. No wonder, Voldemort had recruited them so readily and trusted them so much. Harry finally asked,

"Well, is this how you impressed Voldemort?"

The twins laughed and spoke,

"This is nothing compared to the products we're developing for The Dark Lord. You will see most of them in action during the siege on the ministry."

Harry noticed the lack of customers and asked,

"This place should be crowded. Don't you guys get any customers?"

The twins nodded solemnly and spoke,

"This place is overly crowded normally but we're closed today."

Harry wondered about that and remembered that he had just checked the date and day on The Daily Prophet, this morning,

"But it's Tuesday. Why are you closed on a…"?

But Harry understood the reason before he could finish the question. It was because of him. Harry felt embarrassed. The twins sensed that and spoke,

"Harry, it's no big deal. You own this store as much as we do after all you gave us our start-up loan."

It didn't make Harry feel any better. He made his way to the window and looked outside. Diagon Alley had changed. The colourful, glittering window displays of spellbooks, potion ingredients, and cauldrons were lost to view, hidden behind the large Ministry of Magic posters that had been pasted over them. Harry noticed that many of the people who were walking on the street had an agitated, anxious look. Nobody was stopping to talk anymore; the shoppers stayed together in their tight groups.

Harry stepped away from the window and spoke out,

"Why is everyone so terrified?"

The twins exchanged an uncomfortable glance and changed the subject,

"Let's have lunch."

Harry glanced out the window again and saw Narcissa Malfoy emerging out of Madam Malkins with Draco at her side. Harry remembered the morning's events again and wiped his lips again. Narcissa Malfoy could have stopped it all. She could have pulled her sister away from him. But she had done nothing and left him at the mercy of her insane sister. And then there was Draco's deranged lust. Harry moved his fingers through his hair. Why was Draco behaving like that? Voldemort would most certainly flay him alive if he ever found out. But he couldn't blame Draco. Insanity ran through his blood.

Harry closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. How had life gotten so complicated? He was better off in isolation. Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned around to see Fred and George looking at him with concern darkening their features,

"Harry, what's bothering you? You know you can tell us anything."

Harry looked away from them. Was it a good idea to tell them about Draco? Maybe they could make Draco see some sense. It could save his life. Harry finally spoke,

"I need you guys to do something for me."

The twins looked at each other and spoke together,

"We can't help you escape but apart from that we'll do anything."

Harry laughed cynically,

"As if I can ever get away from Voldemort. No, it's about something else."

The twins grinned and spoke,

"Let's talk about it over lunch."

Harry couldn't help but smile. The twins led him up the steps and into a well-furnished apartment,

"So, you live here now?"

The twins nodded together as they made their way to the small kitchen and began preparing the meal. Harry sat down on a chair and looked around the place. He finally asked them,

"Will Ron and Ginny go to Hogwarts this year?"

The twins remained silent for a while but then spoke,

"Yes. Ron, Hermione and Ginny will be returning to Hogwarts this year. Mate, you should know something about them. They're following Dumbledore blindly and they even say that Dumbledore was right in trying to kill you."

Harry remembered that scene as vividly as if it had happened yesterday. He remembered the flash of green light that had rushed towards him. The taste of betrayal was still fresh on his tongue. Harry closed his eyes. It was true that people only showed their true colours when you were worthless to them. The twins spoke again,

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

Harry looked up at them and spoke,

"It's about Draco."

Harry didn't fail to notice how the twins' gaze darkened. He finally asked them,

"What happened?"

They corrected their expressions and spoke,

"What about Draco, Harry?"

Harry looked down at his feet and hesitated before speaking,

"He has a weird obsession with me."

Understanding flashed in the twins' eyes but they feigned ignorance,

"Go on, Harry. Tell us."

Harry continued to speak,

"I know it sounds crazy but it's true. I don't like the way he looks at me. Voldemort caught him at it before and I thought that he would have learned his lesson but it seems that his obsession has only grown after that. He's going to get killed if he keeps at it. I don't know what he's fantasizing about me but it's not good. This morning, I felt pure lust radiating from him and it was suffocating. You have to knock some sense into him. Voldemort will kill him if he finds out about this."

The twins had a murderous look in their eyes and Harry didn't miss the overprotectiveness in their tone when they spoke,

"Maybe he's better off dead, Mate."


	114. Chapter 114

Harry looked at the twins and spoke,

"If I wanted him dead, I would have told Voldemort. I really don't want him to die so you guys really have to help me."

Fred set down the plate of pasta in front of Harry and signalled him to eat. The twins joined him on the table and then spoke,

"We really don't like that git but we'll try our best."

Harry smiled and spoke,

"Thanks."

They were half way through their meal when there was a knock on the door. Fred rose to his feet and spoke,

"I'll check the door."

He vanished down the steps. Harry looked at George and asked,

"Were you guys expecting someone?"

George shook his head,

"Not really."

A loud bang from downstairs rattled the store and Harry jumped to his feet. Something was awfully wrong. Shouts and cries filled the air. The entire store rattled with another bang. Harry's heart was beating impossibly fast. He was just about to rush downstairs when George gripped his arm and pointed his wand towards a portrait on the wall. It swung open, revealing a secret room,

"Get inside, Harry."

Harry shook his head,

"No, Fred's down there all alone. I have to help him."

George smiled sadly and pushed Harry into the secret room,

"We really can't lose you, Harry."

Harry was about to say something when George pressed his wand to the dark mark on his chest and locked the secret room. Harry kicked and punched the walls but they wouldn't budge. Screams filled the air and Harry felt as if his heart was sinking. He was terrified for the twins.

Voldemort sat on the ground in the desolate cemetery beside Destrian's grave and spoke softly,

"Do you think my attempts to bring joy back into Harry's life will be fruitful?"

He closed his eyes and chuckled softly,

"I doubt that anything can ever replicate the joy that you brought him."

Voldemort drew smoky shapes in the air with his wand and missed the joyous laughter,

"Maybe, only a child can fill the void that you left."

He rested his head against the headstone and spoke,

"But Harry has proven that he cannot handle a child."

Voldemort vanished the shapes with a wave of his wand. Maybe a third try would bear some fruit. Harry would initially have some difficulty accepting it but he would definitely be more cautious this time. Harry would never risk losing another child.

Voldemort kissed the headstone softly and conjured a garland of roses. He placed them next to the headstone and rose to his feet,

"I shall see you soon, Destrian."

He was about to apparate when he felt the call. Almost instantly he apparated and appeared in the store.

He had arrived in the middle of a battlefield. Curses and jinxes flew everywhere. They ricocheted off the walls and smashed anything in their path. One swift gaze told him that the twins were outnumbered two to thirteen. It took him only a minute to realize that the order members had attacked the store, perhaps in their pursuit of Harry. He slashed his wand and two of the order members crumpled to the ground. He stepped over the dead body and felt pleased to see that the twins were duelling well on their own. He roared out a single order,

"Keep one alive, kill the rest."

The twins nodded agreement and continued their fight. Voldemort himself killed three more order members with incredible ease and moved fluidly to kill the rest. In a matter of minutes, the floor of the store was littered with corpses.

He stepped over the corpses and made his way to the twins. They bowed and spoke reverently,

"My lord, we apologize for the trouble we caused you."

Voldemort signalled them to rise,

"You have done exceptionally well. Where is Harry?"

George bowed and spoke,

"He is upstairs, my Lord."

Voldemort nodded and patted the twins on the shoulder. He made his way to the order member that he had stunned and restrained him with a wave of his wand. His gaze travelled around the ruined store and he spoke,

"The state of your store saddens me. It is always remorseful to see someone's hard work go to waste."

The twins stared down at the floor. Grief was apparent from their demeanours.

Voldemort knew that this shop was everything that the twins had. They had erected this business with their blood and sweat. Voldemort stepped closer and embraced them both and spoke,

"There is no need to fret. Rest assured. I shall rebuild your store. It shall be more marvellous and splendid than it is now."

He felt the tears that slipped down the twins' cheeks and rubbed their backs soothingly,

"Do you have no faith in me?"

The twins shook their head and fell on their knees in front of him,

"We would rather die than lose faith in you."

Voldemort smiled and pulled them back on their feet. He wiped away their tears and embraced them again,

"We shall have our revenge and we shall be victorious."

The twins smiled and thanked Voldemort. Voldemort finally spoke,

"Pack your bags, boys. You have been compromised and it is not safe for you to stay here any longer. You shall be coming with me."

The twins bowed their head and rushed up the stairs. Fred unlocked the portrait and Harry rushed out. He saw the twins and hugged them tightly,

"You're alright. I'm so glad to see that you're okay."

The twins hugged him back,

"Nothing can ever happen to us."

The twins released Harry and spoke,

"We have to get packing."

George waved his wand and a suitcase appeared. He filled it with the essentials and all their gold and closed it. Harry felt mesmerized by how easily the twins had packed. He finally inquired,

"Where are you going?"

Fred and George smirked,

"Let's go down."

The twins made their way down and Harry followed quietly. He nearly swooned when he saw the shops condition and the dead bodies that littered the floor. Fred gripped his arm tightly and held him upright,

"Harry, breathe."

Voldemort's voice forced him to look up,

"Relax, Harry."

Harry drew in a deep breath. He spotted Voldemort standing in a corner with a restrained man at his feet. He looked at the twins with tears in his eyes,

"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

The twins shook their heads and wiped away the tears from Harry's eyes,

"It's alright, Harry. Everything's going to be alright. Just relax."

Voldemort finally spoke,

"We must depart. Have you gathered all your significant possessions?"

The twins nodded quietly,

"Yes, my lord."

Voldemort ushered Harry towards him and spoke softly,

"Come here, Harry. We must get going."

Harry walked closer to Voldemort and tried not to step on any of the dead bodies. Voldemort gripped Harry's arm tightly and spoke,

"How do you manage to attract trouble wherever you go, Harry?"

Harry averted his gaze,

"I wish I knew."

Voldemort chuckled softly and gripped the restrained man with his other hand. He spoke,

"Malfoy Manor, boys."

And then he apparated.


	115. Chapter 115

Harry's feet landed on solid ground and he looked around to realize that he was standing in the living room of the Malfoy Manor again. He was getting exceedingly tired of this place. Voldemort released Harry's arm and threw the restrained order member, hard on the floor. Narcissa Malfoy hurried in the living room, along with her husband. They were kneeling and greeting their lord when the twins arrived.

Harry didn't miss the venomous glare that she cast upon the twins and felt like telling Voldemort everything that she had done this morning. Voldemort spoke softly,

"I already know everything."

Harry felt disappointed and spoke out in resentment,

"Why aren't you doing anything then?"

Voldemort drew closer to Harry, kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear,

"Relax, Harry. All debts shall be settled."

Voldemort turned to Narcissa and spoke,

"I expected you to display more hospitality, Narcissa. Nevertheless, the twins shall not be staying here, so, there is no need for you to fret."

The twins along with Harry looked questioningly at Voldemort. Harry finally managed to ask,

"Where are they going to be staying them?"

Voldemort smiled brightly and spoke,

"With us, obviously."

Harry's jaw dropped as he attempted to comprehend Voldemort's statement. He finally spoke through numb lips,

"You can't possibly mean with us at the…"

Voldemort chuckled darkly and spoke,

"I mean exactly that."

Harry wanted to protest. He wanted to argue with Voldemort but there were just too many people around. He grew silent. This was terrible. He wasn't terrified that the twins would be staying at the castle. He was worried that they would find out about the way Voldemort treated him. He didn't want them to see him get tormented. He didn't want them to hear his screams.

He knew that Voldemort had read his thoughts, because the man was wearing a smug smile and looking intently at the bound and restrained order member. Harry realized that the man was beginning to stir and stepped back. Voldemort dismissed Narcissa and Lucius and locked the door.

Voldemort turned to Harry and spoke,

"Sit down, Harry. I want you to watch this very carefully."

Harry knew that Voldemort was going to torture the man for information. He couldn't bear to see that and finally spoke,

"I don't want to see this."

Voldemort tsked and spoke,

"Your friends could have died today. You could have been captured. Would you have preferred that?"

Harry looked at the twins. No, he couldn't have endured their deaths. He remembered the agonizing few minutes he had spent locked up in that secret room. He had spent all of that time, praying, hoping and wising that no harm befell the twins. He sighed out in defeat and spoke,

"No."

Voldemort signalled towards the couch and Harry shook his head. It was the same couch, Bella had nearly ravaged him on. Voldemort saw the discomfort radiating from Harry and led him to the armchair near the fireplace. Harry sat down silently and leaned back.

Voldemort looked at the twins and then spoke,

"He is all yours, boys. Find out who sent them and what their aim was."

Voldemort sat down in the armchair besides Harry's and looked intently at the twins. The twins cracked their knuckles and smirked viciously,

"Let's get to work then."

Harry saw the resolve in the twins' eyes. It was their right to have revenge, but how were they going to torture a man? Harry closed his eyes as the twins drew their wand. He readied himself for the screams that were soon going to fill this room. He nearly cried out as he felt Voldemort grip his already abused and extremely bruised wrist,

"Open your eyes, Harry."

Harry kept them shut. The screams started and Harry struggled against Voldemort to get his wrist out of his grip so that he could cover his ears and block them out. Voldemort's grip tightened and Harry knew that the man was going to make good on his promise to break his wrists. Harry closed his eyes and cried out. But his cries were drowned out by the agonizing screams of the man that was writhing and struggling in front of him on the carpet. The twins lifted the curse and Voldemort released Harry's semi shattered wrist.

Harry clutched his wrist close to his chest and stopped himself from crying out further. Voldemort's warning was clear and Harry was beginning to understand the lesson that he was trying to teach him. It was simple.

Voldemort had risen to his feet and made his way to the breathless man. He planted his foot on his chest and pressed down,

"Speak or there shall be more pain."

The man begged him for mercy and spoke,

"I don't know anything…. please…...spare me."

Voldemort laughed darkly and pressed his foot down further. The man screamed out. Voldemort removed his foot and then spoke,

"Perhaps another few minutes under the cruciatus shall change your mind."

The man opened his eyes and stared directly at Harry, who had his eyes closed and cradled his wrist,

"Harry Potter…...The chosen one…. help me…please…. My wife and child are waiting for me at home. Please have mercy."

Harry's eyes flew open and he looked at Voldemort pleadingly. Voldemort looked away and then spoke,

"Tell us what you know and I shall let you leave."

Harry finally spoke,

"Just tell him why you attacked the shop."

The man gulped and looked down. Harry saw a hint of embarrassment and guilt on the man's face. The man finally spoke,

"We sought to kill you, Harry Potter."

Harry's eyes widened in shock for a fraction of a second. The twins were ready to curse the man again when Harry burst out laughing. Voldemort turned to Harry and even the twins were forced to look. Harry controlled his laughter and finally spoke,

"You just called me The Chosen One and asked me to save your life because you were going to be killed. Would you have had mercy upon me and spared my life if you managed to capture me today?"

The man shook his head. The weight of the guilt was apparent on his shoulders. Harry laughed bitterly and spoke,

"I thought so. Can I see your family?"

Harry expected that the man was lying about having a family to save his own skin. But the man reached into his pockets and procured a wallet. The twins took it and handed it to Harry. Harry opened it and looked at the picture displayed there. His grip grew slack and the wallet slipped from his hands.


	116. Chapter 116

Harry buried his face in his hands and slumped back in the armchair. Voldemort picked up the dropped wallet and as he looked at the picture displayed there, he felt his blood run cold. This couldn't be right. It just couldn't be. This had to be Dumbledore's doing. He gripped the man by his shirt collar and pulled him upright,

"Is this your son?"

The man nodded shakily. Voldemort buried the tip of his wand in the man's neck and spoke,

"Take me to him. I wish to see him."

The man fell to his knees and begged,

"Please…. I cannot…you can kill me…just don't hurt my family."

Voldemort spoke lividly,

"I shall allow you to live if you take me to your child. Otherwise, I shall kill you and my death eaters shall find him."

The man trembled uncontrollably and spoke,

"Please, don't hurt my family."

Voldemort spoke softly,

"Rest assured, if you cooperate than I shall not hurt your family. Now, take me to him."

Harry rose to his feet and spoke,

"I want to see him too."

Voldemort shook his head,

"You shall be staying here."

Harry was about to argue when Voldemort spoke,

"You cannot change my mind."

Harry fell at Voldemort's feet and pleaded,

"Please, just once. Even fate wants me to see him. Otherwise this man would have never been here."

Voldemort gripped Harry by the shoulders and raised him to his feet,

" There is no such thing as fate."

Voldemort forced Harry back in the armchair and spoke,

"Behave yourself. I shall be highly disappointed to know that you tried to do anything unfavourable in my absence."

Harry closed he eyes and accepted defeat. He hated this. Why couldn't Voldemort ever let him be happy?

Voldemort picked up on Harry's thoughts. Would it be right to take Harry along? He looked at the picture in the wallet closely. Damn it. He would have to take Harry along otherwise he was certain that Harry would spend the time crying.

"Harry, wipe away those tears, this instant. You may come along."

Harry's eyes shot open and he immediately wiped away the tears. A genuine smile rose to his lips and Voldemort felt his heart fill with joy as he felt Harry's happiness. Harry jumped up to his feet and Voldemort observed that Harry could hardly conceal his joy. The twins were practically beaming at seeing Harry so happy.

Voldemort gripped the man's arm with one hand and Harry's with the other,

"Take us to him."

And they were off. Even the suffocating feeling of apparition couldn't dampen Harry's excitement. He was so happy. They landed on solid ground and Harry looked around to find that they were standing on a street. Voldemort kept his grip on Harry's arm and addressed the man,

"Lead the way."

The man walked hesitantly towards a small house and knocked on the door. It was opened by a woman from the picture. She looked like she had been crying. Harry saw relief break across her face at the sight of her husband and she hugged the man tightly. Her gaze landed on Harry and Voldemort and she looked at her husband in puzzlement. The man whispered something in her ear and she grew terrified.

The man pushed his wife inside the house and spoke,

"Come in please."

Voldemort stepped inside the house with Harry at his side and looked around. The man signalled his wife to go in the room. The man spoke,

"Please sit down."

The pictures on the walls caught Harry's eye and he made his way to them and looked at them closely. He finally spoke,

"Where is Destrian? I want to see him."

The man stood quietly for a while and then spoke,

"He is sleeping."

Voldemort felt the alarms going off in his head and just as he was about to reach towards Harry, a bang resounded through the small house and rattled it. Before anyone could move, the roof caved in and separated Harry from Voldemort. The explosion had brought Harry to his knees. His head was spinning. He raised himself to his feet unsteadily and tried to stabilize himself. His heart was beating erratically. It had been a trap. He could hear Voldemort's voice calling out to him. He was about to reply when felt an arm wrap around his throat and a hand cover his mouth.

Harry struggled against the grip and tried to scream out for Voldemort. He felt a wand dig into his throat and a voice whisper in his ear,

"Time to go to sleep permanently, Harry."

Harry closed his eyes tightly and stopped struggling. Death was better than this life. Whoever was holding him, sensed his surrender and removed his hand from Harry's mouth. Harry finally spoke,

"Where is Destrian? Just tell me that he's okay."

The man dug his wand deeper into his throat and spoke,

"His name was Sam and you killed him."

A gasp escaped Harry's lips. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't be true. This had to be a lie. But deep inside Harry knew it wasn't. It wasn't a lie. This was the truth. The shock was too much. A loud crack, like lightening striking the earth resonated through the small house. Harry stared blankly at empty space. He couldn't feel anything. He didn't even feel it when the man released him and dropped dead behind him. He didn't feel it when Voldemort's arm wrapped tight around him and held him in an embrace. He didn't feel it when Voldemort apparated with him.

Voldemort appeared back in Malfoy Manor with Harry at his side. The twins immediately greeted them but when they saw Harry's expressionless dead eyes, their faces darkened with concern. Voldemort came in front of Harry and shook his shoulders,

"Harry, talk to me."

Harry continued to stare off in blank space. Voldemort shook him violently and gripped his chin in a bone shattering hold but Harry didn't even flinch. He forced Harry's face up so that their gaze met. Voldemort looked into Harry's eyes and saw nothing, no expressions, no feelings, not even a hint of life. It terrified him. He gripped Harry's wrist and checked his pulse. He was alive. Harry was physically alive. What was wrong with him? What had the order done to him?


	117. Chapter 117

It had been two hours, two hours since he had brought Harry back. Two hours since Harry had gone into that state. He hadn't even blinked, just stared quietly at the wall as if he saw something there that no one else could see. Voldemort looked at Harry's still form, seated on the couch and felt his heart exploding with fear. This was not normal. He took Harry's hand in his, gently, and spoke,

"Harry, talk to me."

Voldemort closed his eyes. He held Harry's stock still form close to himself and spoke,

"Please, Harry. Express yourself. Cry as much as you want. I shall never stop you again but please snap out of this."

Voldemort kissed Harry's head,

"Please. Let it out."

Voldemort felt relieved as he felt Harry's tear dampen his shirt front. Harry screamed in agony and clutched Voldemort's shirt tightly,

"WHY?"

Voldemort kept his arms around Harry and spoke,

"Why what, Harry?"

Harry didn't reply for a while. But after a few minutes of silence, Harry screamed again,

"WHY DID YOU PUNISH DESTRIAN FOR MY MISTAKES? HOW COULD YOU KILL HIM? DIDN'T YOUR HANDS SHAKE WHEN YOU STOLE HIS LIFE?"

Voldemort froze. He lifted Harry's head so that their gaze met. Voldemort couldn't stop the tears that filled his eyes and streamed down his cheeks. Harry's eyes grew wide as he saw the tears in Voldemort's. Voldemort brought the excruciating memories of that day to the forefront of his mind and displayed them to Harry.

Harry watched as Voldemort showed him the memories. The first thing he saw was Destrian's tiny, blood soaked form. He saw Destrian's blue, lifeless eyes staring into empty space and screamed. Voldemort closed his eyes as the heartache grew unbearable. He wrapped his arms around Harry again and spoke in a shattered voice,

"I did not kill him, Harry. I must have murdered countless people, but, I did not murder Destrian."

Harry continued to cry and scream. Voldemort held on tight to Harry. Harry was in agony. Nothing could ever lessen the pain he was in. This wound would only heal with time. He rubbed soothing circles on Harry's back. It was better to allow him to lament. It was Harry's right and it was better for Harry to let out all the pain that was hidden in his chest.

Harry continued to hold on to Voldemort. The pain was unbearable. He had felt it. All his senses had been telling him that something was wrong. But everyone had lied to him and convinced him that he was just being over sensitive. Destrian's face swam in front of Harry's vision and he couldn't help but scream again. This was all his fault. He could have prevented this. Destrian could have been in his lap right now.

Voldemort listened to Harry's thoughts and instantly held him tightly,

"You could not have prevented it. It was bound to happen, Harry."

Harry kept his eyes closed and spoke,

"Can you take me to his grave?"

Voldemort kissed Harry's head,

"You need to rest, Harry."

Harry shook his head,

"I want to go there now."

Voldemort knew that Harry would not rest until he saw the grave. He nodded his head quietly and raised Harry to his feet. He held onto Harry's arm and apparated.

Harry was too numb to even feel the uncomfortable sensation of side along apparition. He took in his surroundings and recognized it as the graveyard from Voldemort's resurrection. Voldemort led him through the tombstones, towards the church. Harry saw the marble statue of the angel from a distance and froze in his steps. Voldemort wrapped his arm around his waist and led him to the grave gently.

Harry's tear-filled gaze read the inscription on the stone and he couldn't hold back the anguished scream that escaped his lips. He collapsed on his knees and Voldemort went down with him. He rubbed Harry's back gently and wanted to whisper words of comfort to him but how could he when he himself could not hold back his tears.

Harry pulled away from Voldemort and rested his head against the tombstone,

"I'm so sorry. I am just so sorry."

Voldemort continued to rub Harry's back. Harry's never-ending river of tears continued to flow. This was just too much. He was certain that this would have an adverse effect on Harry's health.

Harry kept his head against the tombstone and rested his hand on the grave. He closed his eyes and wept silently now. He felt like Destrian's soul was still here. He felt as if he was with Destrian. He felt an odd sense of calm overcome him.

Voldemort felt relieved when he saw that Harry's tears had stopped. He even saw a faint smile on Harry's lips and wondered if Harry was in his senses.

Harry felt as if Destrian was lying beside him. He felt Destrian's gaze on him. He could hear Destrian's soft laughter and couldn't help but smile. Destrian was still here. Harry spoke in a broken voice,

"I love you, Destrian. Just don't leave me."

Voldemort buried his face in his hands. Was it right to let Harry breed misconceptions and leave him to his distorted imagination? No, this was wrong. Harry would be extremely shattered after this. He did not know, how Harry was ever going to recover from this. Then there was also the matter of the trap. He had set Fred and George to discover the truth behind it all. He had no doubt that it was Dumbledore's doing. But how had Dumbledore discovered their connection to Destrian. He had highlighted Sirius Black and Luna Lovegood as key suspects. He would summon her as soon as he was certain that Harry was stable enough.

Harry's body had grown limp. Voldemort took Harry in his lap and hugged him close. He realized that Harry was freezing cold. He conjured a cloak and wrapped it around Harry. He understood Harry's pain because he had been through it as well. He just hoped that Harry would recover from it quickly.


	118. Chapter 118

Voldemort sat beside Harry's nearly lifeless form on the bed and kissed his head. Harry had been in that condition for a day now and he was certain that he would wake up soon now. Voldemort moved his fingers through Harry's hair and thought about everything that he had discovered in the past twenty-four hours.

He had brought the twins with him to the castle and given them full access to the entire castle, except for this bedroom. He had interrogated Black under the influence of Veritaserum and discovered that Black had not been the one to tell Dumbledore about Destrian. He had summoned Luna Lovegood several times but she had not appeared which had only aroused his suspicions. So, he had gone to search for her and upon reaching her home, he had learnt from her father that she had left with some order members two days ago and hadn't returned yet.

This had made the situation murkier. In any case, he was beginning to feel that It was indeed Luna Lovegood that had told Dumbledore about Destrian. The news from the twins had been much more troubling. The twins had returned to their shop and investigated the identities of the order members that had been killed there. Upon searching their pockets and going through the belongings that they had on their person when they had died, the twins had discovered a shocking truth. Every single one of those order members had had the same picture of Destrian in their possession.

They had even brought him the pictures as proof. That old coot had planted those pictures on each one of his men with the surety that either him or Harry would discover it. That conniving old fool had been a step ahead of him. It had been his fault though. He had grown arrogant and in that had been his greatest misstep. He would not underestimate Dumbledore anymore. Dumbledore had played well but it was his time to play now. The next move would mean the end of Albus Dumbledore and his order.

Harry stirred and Voldemort snapped out of his thoughts. He looked down at Harry and saw his eyelids flicker. Harry was waking up. He was finally waking up. Voldemort felt his heart bursting with joy. But along with joy he felt fear. Harry would not react well initially. Harry opened his eyes and Voldemort forgot everything as he looked down in those beautiful emerald green eyes. He had never truly appreciated Harry's beauty. He had only exploited it. Confusion was evident from Harry's eyes which soon transitioned into remembrance and then distress. Harry attempted to sit up straight but Voldemort rested his hand on Harry's shoulder and spoke gently,

"Just relax, Harry."

Harry closed his eyes and cried. It hadn't been a dream. It was all real. Destrian was really gone. He had really been to his grave. Everything inside of him felt broken. Everything inside of him was aching. He wanted the pain to end. He wanted to die. He just wanted to die and be with Destrian.

Voldemort kissed Harry's forehead and spoke again,

"Harry, it shall be alright. Everything shall be alright."

Harry cried out and Voldemort could feel Harry's pain reflected in his words,

"NO! It's not going to fine. It's never going to be fine. He's gone and it's all because of me."

Voldemort caressed Harry's cheek softly and spoke,

"You saved him. You did more for him than anyone else."

Harry turned away from Voldemort,

"It wasn't enough. I didn't do enough. They took him and I slept unaware. He must have cried for me. He must have screamed for me when they were…...How could I have not felt his pain? How could I not have heard his screams? How could I have slept? How was I so unmindful?"

Voldemort pulled Harry closer to him and embraced him,

"Harry, the vampire that killed him is dead. I murdered that bastard myself. I would gladly burn down that entire castle if you desire it."

Harry looked up into Voldemort's brown eyes and spoke,

"Show me."

Voldemort brought the memory to the forefront of his mind and showed it to Harry. He showed him the entire memory, from the point where he had murdered that blood thirsty bastard, to when he had buried Destrian.

Harry closed his eyes as those scenes played in his head over and over again. Somehow Harry felt his heart grow a bit calm after watching the vampire that had taken his Destrian die. He had wanted it to be even more painful. Although Harry knew that no amount of pain inflicted on that worthless vampire could ever compare to what he had done to Destrian. Harry just hoped that the bastard was burning in hell.

Voldemort wanted to wipe away Harry's tears but he stopped himself. It was better that Harry did that himself. Harry buried his face in the pillow and thought about what Destrian would be doing right now. He smiled despite himself when he imagined Destrian laughing with angels in the heavens above. Destrian was happy. He would most definitely be happy. Harry remembered how Destrian had cried, when he screamed while the healer had been healing his back. Destrian didn't like it when he was in pain. Harry wiped away his tears and sat up straighter.

Voldemort had read Harry's thoughts and felt pleased when Harry began to calm down. He rose to his feet and spoke gently,

"Harry, are you feeling better now?"

Harry nodded his head silently. Voldemort spoke again,

"I have some matters to take care of. We shall have lunch together. The twins are here so you can spend time with them."

He kissed Harry's head gently. He didn't want to leave Harry but he also understood that Harry required some space and time to contemplate and get himself together. Voldemort vanished from the room.

Harry sat up straight and rubbed his eyes. He remembered how he had held onto Voldemort for support. How he had cried on Voldemort's shoulder. How Voldemort had cried with him and comforted him. Had it all been real? Had Voldemort really cried? He found it hard to believe but it had been true. He had seen the grief in Voldemort's eyes. Was it possible that Voldemort was changing? And even if the man was changing, could he truly forget everything that the man had done to him? Maybe he was already forgetting everything. Everyone deserved a second chance. But Voldemort was different from everyone else. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't even given him a first chance.

Harry sighed out in frustration and laid back. He couldn't deny the fact that he felt something for Voldemort and he was beginning to feel it strongly. Was Voldemort really worth it? He would never know until he gave him a try. He could sense that Voldemort was changing. He was trying to be affectionate. He was trying to be kind. And if he kept ignoring those efforts than he was certain that Voldemort would revert back to his violent nature. No, this time he would try his best to reciprocate those efforts. What if it didn't work? What if Voldemort hurt him again?

No, he wouldn't give up this idea just because of the fear of failure. He had nothing to lose if he failed but he had everything to gain if he succeeded. Harry rose to his feet with hope blossoming in his chest. For the first time in days, he felt as if he could change his circumstances. For the first time in days, he saw the prospect of happiness.


	119. Chapter 119

Harry stood in front of the mirror, showered and dressed. He looked gaunt and lifeless. Harry decided that he would have to change that. He straightened out his hair and stepped out of the room to look for the twins.

It wasn't difficult to find them. Harry just followed the sound of the fireworks and found them in the west wing of the castle in a huge hall that was devoid of furniture. It seemed that they were testing some new fireworks. They saw Harry approach and pulled down the goggles from their eyes. Soon enough, Harry found himself held in a tight embrace. He closed his eyes and hugged them back. They stepped back and looked at Harry concernedly. Harry knew that they wanted to know whether he was alright or not but they weren't asking because they were afraid that he would reminded of the events again. Harry smiled and spoke,

"I'm better now, don't worry."

The twins embraced Harry again,

"We're here for you, mate."

Harry nodded his head. It reassured him and he felt happy at that prospect. The twins and Luna had proven to be much better friends than Ron and Hermione. Harry felt his resolve solidify. He would make things better. Everything would be alright. He would make it alright. Harry finally spoke,

"So, what are you doing?"

The twins looked mischievously at each other and then spoke,

"We were testing out some new fireworks. So far, so good."

Harry looked around the hall,

"Well, when can I see them?"

The twins chuckled together and spoke,

"You'll see them very soon."

Harry was already looking forward to the show. He spoke again,

"I was just on my way to make lunch…"

The twins cut him off,

"You're going to cook?"

Harry shrugged,

"Yeah, I've done it before. It's not something new."

The twins spoke again,

"We can help you out."

Harry shook his head,

"You can watch but I really don't need help with that. I find it very relaxing."

The twins nodded in understanding and then spoke,

"Okay, Harry. Let's go then."

Harry led them to the kitchen. On the way, he asked them,

"How are you settling in?"

The twins replied happily,

"It's like Hogwarts."

Harry shook his head,

"Don't compare it to Hogwarts. This castle is so much better than Hogwarts."

Harry felt the castle's joy at that statement and he felt happy. Sometimes he just felt like hugging the castle and kissing every brick. They reached the kitchen and the door opened automatically for Harry. He noticed that the small table had been replaced by a larger one and two chairs had been around it. Harry rolled back his shirt sleeves and got to work while the twins hesitantly sat down around the table,

"Are you sure, you don't need any help?"

Harry nodded his head and smiled,

"I'm positive."

He made his way to the pantry and gathered the ingredients that he needed. He intended to make Shepard's Pie today along with Rhubarb Crumble for dessert. Harry didn't forget to grab the chocolate as he left the pantry. He handed the twins a bar each and unwrapped his own. He nibbled on his chocolate as he got to work.

Somewhere in the middle, Harry felt irritated by his hair. They were getting in the way and Harry was just wishing for a hair tie when his hair tied themselves and Harry knew that it was the castle's magic that done that. He silently thanked the castle and resumed his work

Harry only looked at the twins again when the pie and the crumble, both were in the oven. He looked at the clock on the wall and realized that he had been at work for almost an hour and a half and during that span he had neglected the twins. He looked apologetically at them,

"I'm sorry. I guess I got too lost in the work."

The twins were smiling brightly,

"You're amazing, Harry. We had no idea you could cook like that."

Harry blushed and looked down at his feet,

"You haven't even tasted it yet."

Harry was about to make his way to the pantry to get the drinks when the whole selection appeared on the counter. Harry grudgingly recognized blood wine among the bottles and picked it up. Voldemort liked the stuff so he set it aside. Harry was trying to distinguish which bottle held the elf made wine but found it impossible. Instantly the bottle of elf wine separated itself from the rest and joined the bottle of Blood wine on the side. Harry looked at the twins and realized that they were looking at the counter with shock,

"How are you doing that, Harry?"

Harry laughed and replied,

"Magic."

The twins shook their heads in disbelief,

"Wandless Magic? Is that how you tied your hair earlier?"

Harry shook his head. He knew that the twins wouldn't be able to understand. Harry looked at the drinks and remembered what he was going to ask them,

"What would you prefer to drink?"

The twins looked at the bottles that Harry had set aside and spoke,

"Elf made wine is fine."

Harry acknowledged their choice and the remaining bottles vanished. Harry took a peek in the oven and looked up at the clock. He just hoped that he had everything ready before Voldemort arrived.

He took a seat opposite the twins and got in a conversation with them about how they were going to re-establish their business. The twins told him all about the support Voldemort had promised to give them. Harry just hoped that Voldemort stayed true to his promise and helped the twins out. The twins were just telling Harry about the products they were designing when Harry felt Voldemort's presence.

Harry rose to his feet, just in time to see Voldemort enter the kitchen. Voldemort's gaze scanned Harry from head to toe and then drew closer to him,

"Harry, you should have rested."

Harry didn't meet Voldemort's gaze but he knew that Voldemort had definitely read his thoughts. He felt relieved when the twins approached Voldemort, kissed his feet and greeted him. Voldemort patted their shoulders and signalled them to retake their seats.

Voldemort himself took a seat and Harry busied himself with plating up the food. He set the plates down on the table and was about to pour the drinks when they poured themselves. Harry sat down and picked up his knife and fork,

"We should eat. It's going to get cold."

Fred and George took their first bite together and exclaimed,

"This is seriously delicious, Harry."

Harry kept his gaze on the plate and smiled,

"I'm glad you like it."

He felt Voldemort's gaze on him and he couldn't help but blush. When Voldemort finally spoke, Harry just wanted to vanish in his seat,

"Harry is a brilliant cook. Having him as my spouse is truly a blessing."

The twins laughed in agreement. The rest of the meal passed as Voldemort discussed his most recent plans with the twins. At some point, Harry got awfully bored with the conversation and spoke out,

"I think you should discuss this after lunch."

The twins apologized and focused on their meal again. The rest of the meal passed in companionable silence. Harry couldn't remember the last time, he had had such a pleasant meal. Harry sipped his drink and savoured dessert. The rush of sweetness through his blood was making him feel better than he had felt in days.

After lunch, the twins excused themselves from the table and left the kitchen. The plates cleared themselves and Harry rose to his feet. Instantly, Voldemort wrapped his arm around Harry's waist and softly whispered in his ear,

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

Harry looked away as the blush creeped its way back to Harry's cheeks. Voldemort chuckled softly,

"Your smile is even lovelier."


	120. Chapter 120

Voldemort moved his fingers through Harry's hair and pulled away the hair tie,

"How are you feeling?"

Harry met Voldemort's gaze and spoke,

"I'm better now."

Voldemort patted Harry's cheek gently,

"Tonight, I shall be punishing Bella and Narcissa."

Harry looked away at that. Bellatrix's punishment reminded him of what Voldemort had threatened to do to him. He felt Voldemort grip his chin gently and turned his head so that their gaze met again,

"Harry, you need not be afraid. I shall not hurt you."

Something in Voldemort's eyes made Harry want to believe him but Voldemort had lied to him before. This wouldn't be the first time when Voldemort had falsely deceived him into a sense of security. He felt Voldemort's fingers trace his lips,

"I do wish to claim these back though."

Harry contemplated that. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. Harry surrendered to his instincts and leaned forwards so that his lips were on Voldemort's impossibly soft ones. As soon as their lips met, Harry couldn't deny that he felt as if he was in heaven. Voldemort's arm wrapped around Harry's waist as he pulled him closer while Harry kept his hand on Voldemort's shoulder. Why hadn't he felt this way all the times Voldemort had kissed him before. Maybe because all those times Voldemort had kissed him forcefully. Voldemort tightened his grip around Harry's waist and Harry realized that Voldemort had read his thoughts. He couldn't help but smile, closed his eyes and deepened the kiss. The kiss must have lasted a minute when Harry pulled away.

Harry realized that he hadn't breathed throughout the kiss. He couldn't meet Voldemort's gaze and stared down at the floor. He was also aware that his cheeks were burning red. Voldemort gently raised Harry's head and made him meet his gaze,

"Do you regret it, Harry?"

Harry looked into Voldemort's eyes. He could see something there. Something that he hadn't seen there before. He saw the desperation, the desire to be loved and to be cared for. Harry smiled faintly, leaned forwards and whispered in Voldemort's ear,

"You know I don't."

And as soon as he had spoken that, he turned away and walked out of the kitchen. Harry made his way to the orchard and contemplated what he had done. He was happy. For the first time, he didn't feel disgusted when Voldemort had touched him. He hadn't recoiled or shuddered. In fact, he had initiated the kiss and he felt proud at that. Harry looked up at the sky and just hoped that Destrian was happy.

He sat down on the bench. Instantly a copy of the Daily Prophet appeared in his lap. He thanked the castle and looked at the front page which was covered with a large picture of the new minister. He was not interested in that and flipped the pages. A picture of Stan Shunpike forced him to halt and he read the news underneath it. Harry felt his heart stop beating when he realized that Stan had been arrested and sent to Azkaban because he was convicted of being a Death Eater.

He decided to ask Voldemort about that later. Harry went through the rest of the newspaper and set it aside. The news about Stan had worried him extremely. Stan could never be a death eater. He was certain of it. Harry got up to his feet and began pacing the orchard. He got bored and decided to go to the library. Maybe a book would help him pass the time.

Hours later, Harry sat in the library with a book on elf made wine open in front of him. He had decided that he would find out about what it was made from and how it was made and so far, he was pleased to see that it contained nothing violent. Harry closed the book and opened another one. This one was about Vampires. Although Harry hated them but he knew that not all Vampires were evil. Sanguini had been good to him. He even missed the man to some extent.

Harry was just reading about their culture when he felt Voldemort's presence. Harry remembered the kiss. How many hours had passed till then? He looked up at the clock and realized that it was seven in the evening. After placing a bookmark, he closed the book and rose to his feet. He knew where they were heading,

"Are Fred and George coming along?"

Voldemort smiled softly,

"Yes, they shall be there. Your godfather shall be present as well."

Harry knew that Voldemort must have summoned all his death eaters. Voldemort conjured a pair of black silk robes and handed them to Harry. Harry put them on and realized how well they fit him. Voldemort moved his fingers through Harry's hair and straightened them out,

"You look gorgeous and you're all mine."

For the first time, Harry felt a sense of security at that statement rather than despair. He looked at Voldemort and knew that even though Voldemort was wearing his signature black robes to look intimidating but underneath he was probably dressed in one of his dark silk shirts and skin-tight pants. Voldemort had been handsome before but now when his eyes had regained their original colour, the man had grown remarkably perfect.

Harry snapped out of his thoughts when Voldemort gently took his arm and they apparated. Harry's feet landed on solid ground. He looked around and realized that he was standing in the ballroom of Malfoy Manor. Death Eaters surrounded them and instantly fell on their knees at the sight of them. Voldemort led Harry to the front of the ballroom and onto the raised platform.

The silence in the ballroom was impeccable. Harry looked around and located Sirius and the twins in the crowd. Voldemort spoke,

"I have summoned you all today so that you may witness what happens to those who dare to touch what is mine. Bellatrix Lestrange, is no doubt, my most loyal death eater and that is why I have decided not to kill her."

Harry was barely breathing and he realized that everyone else in the vicinity was just as breathless as him. Voldemort wrapped an arm around Harry's waist and pulled him close,

"She dared to touch my Harry when I clearly stated that Harry belongs to me and is not to be touched. Were my orders not clear, my death eaters?"

The death eaters shook their heads and spoke in unison,

"They were clear, my lord."

Voldemort conjured a table and a knife. Instantly Harry stiffened. This wasn't going to be anything good. He finally spoke in a low voice so that only Voldemort could hear him,

"I don't want to watch this."

Voldemort spoke gently,

"Harry, you may close your eyes but your presence is required here."

Harry looked at the table and the knife apprehensively and spoke again,

"Maybe you should forgive her."

Voldemort looked at Harry and then spoke,

"Are you willing to forgive her?"

That was a tough question and Harry didn't have an answer to that. Bellatrix walked into the ballroom and the death eaters moved to give her way. She walked up to the platform and fell at Voldemort's feet,

"I shall accept any punishment, my lord. I have wronged you and I have over stepped my boundaries."

Voldemort patted Bella on her head and spoke loudly,

"The punishment that I have decided for you is that your sister, Narcissa, shall cut off your hands."

Bellatrix stood up obediently and placed her hand on the table. Narcissa looked terrified and refused to move from her place. She only moved when her husband pushed her towards the platform. She rushed up the steps and fell at Voldemort's feet,

"Please, my lord. Forgive me. I cannot do this."

Voldemort kicked her away,

"You could have prevented this, Narcissa and yet you did not. Did you believe that I would not find out?"

Narcissa begged and cried but to no avail. Eventually she rose to her feet and picked up the knife. Harry closed his eyes tightly and buried his face in Voldemort's shoulder.


	121. Chapter 121

Narcissa stood by her sister and held the knife in her trembling hands. Bellatrix spoke,

"Do it now, Cissy."

Harry had his face buried in Voldemort's shoulder and was clutching Voldemort's robes tightly. Harry found himself slowly losing himself into Voldemort's distinct scent. The scent he had breathed in so many times before but never truly appreciated. Harry felt Voldemort's arm wrap arm around his waist and felt content to just stand there in this position.

Voldemort had cast a sound barrier around Harry so that none of the sounds would reach him. He adored the way Harry was close to him. He remembered the kiss from earlier and couldn't deny that he wanted more. But he had to be cautious. If he rushed it then Harry might grow distant and he didn't want that. He held Harry closer to him and restrained himself from smiling as he listened to Harry's thoughts.

Voldemort looked at Narcissa and spoke,

"Do it, Narcissa. We do not have all day."

Narcissa raised the knife and closed her eyes. In a flash, she had brought down the knife over Bella's wrists and instantly the ballroom echoed with Bella's screams. Narcissa collapsed on her knees and kept her eyes shut as tears streamed down her eyes. She couldn't bear to look at what she had done.

Voldemort looked at the decapitated hands and the pool of blood on the table. Bella had collapsed on the floor and continued to scream. He looked at Harry holding onto him tightly and kissed his head,

"It's over, Harry."

He had removed the sound barrier and felt Harry flinch as Bella's screams had reached him.

Harry didn't remove his head from Voldemort's shoulder. Bella's screams were representing her pain perfectly. Harry knew that he was acting like a coward and all the death eaters would probably be thinking of him as a coward. Maybe even Voldemort thought that.

Voldemort kissed Harry's head again,

"You are not a coward, Harry. I do not believe that. This is just the way you are and I adore it."

Harry closed his eyes tightly and focused on breathing in Voldemort's scent instead of listening to Bella's screams.

Voldemort pointed his wand at Bella and spoke,

"Bella, I hope that you have learned your lesson."

Bella was too lost in her pain to respond. Voldemort waved his wand and instantly a wave of liquid silver flew towards her and began to weave itself around her bloody stumps. After a minute, Bella was left with silver hands that shone brilliantly in the light from the chandelier. She opened her eyes and looked down at her newly replaced hands in awe. Instantly she crawled towards Voldemort and showered his feet with kisses,

"My lord, thankyou…. thank you…...you are truly merciful."

Harry finally removed his head from Voldemort's shoulder and looked down at Bella's shiny new hands. At least she wasn't in pain anymore. But he knew that she could easily crush his throat with them. Harry knew that Bella and Narcissa would hate him forever after this and they would most definitely want revenge.

He was just thinking that when Bella kissed his feet and spoke,

"I humbly apologize for all my follies. They shall never occur again."

Harry stepped back hesitantly. He glanced sideways at Voldemort and realized that he had a wide smirk on his face. Voldemort dismissed Bella and turned to Narcissa,

"It is your turn to apologize, Narcissa."

Narcissa crawled towards Harry and Harry reluctantly let her kiss his feet,

"Forgive me, my lord. I was blinded."

Harry stepped back again silently. His gaze roamed over the crowd and he realized that the twins were gone. Where were they? Voldemort dismissed Narcissa with a wave of his hand and spoke,

"My death eaters, I shall not repeat this again. Harry is my spouse and he shall be my consort by the end of this week. None of you is allowed to touch him. None of you is even worthy enough to look at him. He shall be treated with as much respect as I."

The death eaters uttered their agreement in unison.

Voldemort felt the locket in his pocket and he wondered if he should give it to Harry now. It would hurt him just as the ring had done and he was afraid that Harry would feel betrayed. On top of that he didn't want to cause Harry any pain. He had never really shied away from instigating pain but now even the thought of seeing Harry in pain made him cringe. He battled his indecisiveness and concluded that first he would give Harry a potion to counter the pain then he would give him the locket.

He turned to look at Harry and saw the look of puzzlement on his face,

"What is the matter, Harry?"

Harry stared off in the distance and spoke,

"You said that I would be your consort by the end of this week. Are you going to take over the ministry soon?"

Voldemort nodded silently and then spoke,

"Yes, Harry. My plans for the ministry are already under execution. However, first, I intend to take over Hogwarts."

Harry met Voldemort's gaze and spoke,

"I think that Hogwarts would be extremely happy to have you in control."

Voldemort felt something stir in his heart at that statement. He knew that Harry meant what he had said because he could read his thoughts.

Harry resented Dumbledore. Voldemort's mention of Hogwarts had made Harry remember Dumbledore. He felt stupid for ever trusting him. How could he have ever idolized the man? How could he have been so blind? Harry was forced out of his reverie as Voldemort caressed his cheek and spoke,

"All of that shall be in the past, Harry. Dumbledore shall pay dearly for what he did to you."

Harry nodded his head silently. Voldemort conjured a potion and held it to Harry's lips,

"Harry, you must drink this."

Harry looked at the potion apprehensively but downed it nonetheless. Nothing happened. Harry wondered what the potion had been for? He was just lost in these thoughts when Voldemort pulled out the locket from his pocket and held it out to Harry.

Harry looked between the locket and Voldemort for a while. The ornate S carved on the front didn't go unnoticed by him and he immediately understood that it must have belonged to Salazar Slytherin himself. Instead of taking the locket from Voldemort's hand, he drew closer to him and bowed his head. He could practically feel Voldemort's joy at that little gesture and soon felt the cool chain of the locket touch his neck. The hall erupted in cheers. He noticed the twins had returned were whistling and applauding.

Once the locket was properly settled around his neck, Harry stared down at it. It was beautiful but on top of that he felt a strange feeling from it. A connection that he couldn't understand.

Voldemort watched Harry as he observed the locket. He felt relieved to see that the potion had worked and Harry had not felt any pain. But he was concerned by the look of confusion on Harry's face. Harry was feeling it. He was feeling the piece of his soul but right now Harry wasn't able to understand what it was. What would happen if Harry found out about the horcruxes? He would certainly lose this new-found faith in him. He would never trust him again. Voldemort was certain that if Harry found out that he was a horcrux then he would think of him in the same manner in which he thought about Dumbledore. Harry would feel used.

Voldemort shook the thoughts away from his head. He wouldn't allow it. He wouldn't let Harry find out. He drew closer to Harry and spoke,

"The twins have a surprise for you, Harry."

Harry smiled and spoke,

"I think I know what it is."

Voldemort pushed a stray lock of hair behind Harry's ear,

"Maybe you're wrong."

Harry laughed softly and turned away,

"I'm pretty sure I know what it is."

Voldemort wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulder and they proceeded outside the manor and towards the lawns. Once there, Voldemort signalled the twins to get started. They raised their wands and instantly fireworks burst through the dark night, fiery blooms amongst the stars. They exploded above, vivid colours ignited the otherwise black sky. Each one drew a pattern into the sky, something unique and breath-taking, never to be repeated exactly no matter how many were ignited and sent to their sky-bound destiny. Harry stared up at the sky, fascinated by the colours and shapes and completely captivated by the view. Unconsciously Harry clasped Voldemort's hand, his fingers fitting perfectly in the spaces between Voldemort's.

Voldemort was less interested in the display than in watching Harry's expressions, how they lit up his face, just as he smiled. How the colours were reflected in his perfect emerald eyes. He looked down at Harry's fingers entwined with his own and couldn't help but smile. He had never felt more happier in his life.


	122. Chapter 122

Harry sat on the edge of the bed and stared down at his hands. The firework display from earlier kept playing in front of his eyes over and over again. He tried to conceal his joy. He tried not to feel happy but he was happy. After so many days he felt truly happy. He looked at the locket around his neck and felt even happier. He was aware of the fact that Voldemort was standing right behind me and watching him intently. Finally, he spoke,

"Harry, you must be exhausted. I suggest that you get some rest."

Harry nodded his head silently. The memory of the kiss came back again and the way their fingers had intertwined with each just a few minutes ago. Harry found it hard to believe that Voldemort had shared such affectionate moments with him. So far Voldemort had returned his affection with affection. Harry had not sensed any of Voldemort's former self all day. But he was beginning to be afraid. Would this last? Harry doubted it but he wouldn't give up now. He wouldn't give up on Voldemort ever. This was all he had now. Voldemort was everything that he had now.

Harry rose to his feet steadily and pulled off the robes. Carefully, he placed them in the wardrobe and proceeded to change into his pyjamas. He realized that Voldemort was looking away. This was definitely not the Voldemort from before. Harry effortlessly changed and got in bed. He expected Voldemort to do the same but he felt disappointed when Voldemort sat down in his armchair and conjured a book.

Harry stared up at the ceiling while Voldemort read. He had been sleepy a while ago but all his sleep had vanished when he had realized that Voldemort had no intention of sleeping at all. He tossed and turned in bed, trying hard to get his sleep back. He wondered if Voldemort was avoiding him now. Maybe Voldemort was trying to escape from whatever he was feeling towards Harry. This must be as new to him as it was to Harry. Harry decided that he would have to take an initiative. He sat up straighter in bed and looked at Voldemort who seemed to be too absorbed in his book.

Harry stepped out of the bed and made his way to Voldemort. He folded his arms across his chest and stood in front of the man, waiting for him to acknowledge him. After a minute, when Harry was certain that Voldemort wouldn't notice him, he cleared his throat to catch his attention. Harry saw Voldemort visibly start. He realized that Voldemort really had been too immersed in his book.

Voldemort looked up at Harry and spoke,

"Harry, what seems to be the matter?"

Harry considered Voldemort's eyes and noticed that they were heavy with exhaustion. It looked as if he hadn't slept properly for a while. He frowned and tried to contemplate why Voldemort was resisting sleep until it hit him hard. The last time Voldemort had probably slept was when he had had that nightmare. Was Voldemort really that affected by it? He knew that Voldemort had read his thoughts but he still wanted to voice it,

"Why are you trying to avoid sleep?"

Voldemort held Harry's gaze but didn't reply. Harry knew that he should feel discouraged by Voldemort's silence but he didn't. He spoke again,

"That nightmare is the reason, isn't it?"

Voldemort made no attempt to reply. Harry sighed. This was going to be difficult. He had never had a conversation like this with Voldemort before. He thought about what he was going to say and then he said it,

"We should talk about it. Maybe it could help you feel better."

Voldemort looked away from Harry and Harry knew that Voldemort wasn't interested in talking to him. He was about to return to the bed when Voldemort held his wrist gently and stopped him,

"You were screaming and I could not reach you. I wanted to save you but I could not help you."

Harry stood still and listened to Voldemort. He turned around and realized that Voldemort had his gaze averted. Harry drew closer to Voldemort and after much contemplation, cupped his cheek,

"I'm here right in front of you and I'm not in any kind of danger. Even if I were in danger, I know that you would always find a way to save me."

Voldemort looked up at Harry and their gaze met. He rose to his feet. Harry was about to pull away his hand from Voldemort's cheek when Voldemort held it there,

"I shall never let any harm befall you."

Harry smiled and looked away. Voldemort released Harry's wrist and spoke softly,

"Lie down. I shall join you shortly."

Harry nodded quietly and made his way to the bed. He slipped into the covers and watched as Voldemort vanished his robes revealing a deep crimson silk shirt and black leather pants. Voldemort changed into his bed clothes with just a wave of his wand and got in bed beside Harry. The blank space between them on the bed felt offending and Voldemort pulled Harry in his arms to fill it.

Harry rested his head on Voldemort's shoulder. They had been sleeping together for a while now but tonight it was significantly different. Harry made no move to pull away or distance himself. He welcomed the closeness. Harry closed his eyes and felt the sleep returning to his eyes. He softly murmured,

"Good night."

Voldemort kissed Harry's head gently,

"Good night, Harry."

He turned down the lights with a wave of his wand and closed his eyes. Instantly he fell asleep. But it wasn't long before he found himself amidst those flames again with Harry's screams saturating the air around him and suffocating him. He screamed out,

"HARRY!"

Voldemort's screams jerked Harry awake. It didn't take him long to realize that Voldemort was having that nightmare again and he was screaming his name. Harry instantly shot up straight and held Voldemort close to him,

"It's a nightmare. It's just a nightmare. I'm here with you. I'm safe."

He hugged Voldemort close and held him in his arms. It was a difficult task because Voldemort was thrashing around. He held Voldemort's arms and kept speaking out placations,

"Please, calm down. You have to calm down."

He arms held Voldemort close, Voldemort's head resting in his lap. He felt that Voldemort's body was drenched in sweat and he was panting but apart from that he was beginning to grow still. The nightmare had passed, leaving Voldemort senseless.

Harry held onto Voldemort, he didn't move, he was even afraid to breathe, because he knew that even the slightest movements would wake Voldemort up and he didn't want that. Harry could see the exhaustion show on Voldemort's face and it concerned him. He needed rest and Harry was prepared to sit still until Voldemort got it. He was afraid though. These recurring nightmares weren't a good sign. He stopped thinking, closed his eyes and moved his fingers through Voldemort's sweat drenched hair.

The night passed. Harry was wide awake when the sunlight filtered in through the window. His gaze was fixed down on Voldemort's face which had grown considerably relaxed during the night. He felt Voldemort stir and realized that he was waking up. Voldemort's eyelids fluttered open, revealing dark brown eyes that seemed well rested. Voldemort's gaze met Harry's and he sat up straight. A frown formed on his lips as he realized that Harry had sat awake all night. Harry looked away but Voldemort held his chin and turned his head to face him,

"You did not sleep last night?"

Harry didn't reply. Voldemort kissed Harry's cheek and spoke softly,

"Breakfast first and then you are going to come back to bed."

Breakfast sounded good but Harry didn't feel like sleeping. Voldemort stepped out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom. Harry leaned back against the headboard. The sound of running water told him that Voldemort was taking a shower. After a few minutes, Voldemort stepped out, fully dressed. Harry got out of bed sluggishly. He was about to make his way to the wardrobe to get out some fresh clothes when Voldemort stopped him,

"There is no need for fresh clothes yet. As I said before, you are going to sleep after breakfast."

Harry looked down at his pyjamas and wondered what the twins would think,

"We can have breakfast here if you do not wish for the twins to see you."

Harry shook his head. He needed some fresh air. Voldemort smiled benignly and spoke,

"Breakfast in the orchard can be easily arranged."

Harry smiled at that. Voldemort stepped out of the room and Harry followed suite. They walked through the corridors and reached the orchard. They followed the stone path in the grass and reached the white pavilion that Harry had had breakfast in earlier. Voldemort took a seat. But Harry didn't. He pulled off his shoes and walked on the dew-covered grass, breathed in the sweet scent of the flowers and felt the cold morning air freshen him up. He didn't feel like he hadn't slept all night.

The twins appeared, bowed to their master and greeted Harry cheerily. Voldemort was immersed in the Daily Prophet. The twins sat down on the chairs opposite to Voldemort. Harry made his way to the pavilion bare footed and sat down beside Voldemort. The twins were eyeing Harry curiously when Voldemort set down the paper and noticed their looks. He addressed them,

"Have you prepared for today?"

The twins nodded solemnly and breakfast appeared. Harry picked up a sandwich and spoke,

"Prepared for what?"

Voldemort regarded Harry for a minute, contemplating whether to tell him or not. Finally, he spoke,

"We are going to Gringotts."

Harry's eyes widened as he understood the implications behind that statement.


	123. Chapter 123

Harry wanted to ask more questions but decided against it. He had a feeling that Voldemort wouldn't be taking him along. So instead he restrained his curiosity and picked up another sandwich. Harry noticed that the twins were barely eating. He addressed them,

"You should eat."

The twins looked at each other and then at Harry. Harry noticed that they were tense and possibly nervous. He felt his curiosity piqued again. Harry finally spoke,

"What's going on?"

Voldemort was about to sip his tea when he paused and calmly ordered the twins,

"Explain it to him."

Harry noticed how the twins' shoulders tensed and the uneasiness that was evident from their faces,

"Harry, we're going to take over Gringotts today."

Harry felt like the earth slipped from beneath his feet. He had thought that Voldemort was planning on robbing Gringotts or possibly he had some business there but taking over was something that hadn't occurred to him.

Voldemort saw the shock reflected in Harry's eyes and he spoke,

"No blood shall be shed if the goblins surrender quietly."

Harry put his half-eaten sandwich down. He had lost his appetite because he knew that it wasn't going to be bloodless. There was probably going to be a battle. He rose to his feet and spoke,

"Good Luck with that."

Harry was about to walk back into the castle when Voldemort spoke,

"Does it bother you?"

Harry shook his head without turning back. He was lying. It did bother him. It was bothering him a lot. He didn't want Voldemort to kill. He didn't want Voldemort to have his stained with more blood. But he knew that Voldemort wouldn't stop, He was so close to getting his long-cherished goal and Harry was certain that Voldemort wouldn't let anyone come in his way now. Harry walked back into the castle and made his way to his bedroom.

Harry stepped in and found Voldemort already standing there. Harry lowered his gaze instantly and stood still. Voldemort drew closer to Harry and held Harry by the shoulders,

"What is the matter, Harry?"

Harry closed his eyes and spoke,

"I don't want you to kill anyone."

Voldemort felt touched. He had read Harry's thought when he had been thinking that but hearing it from his lips made his heart stop beating. He finally spoke,

"Would you convince them to surrender?"

Harry's eyes flew open and he met Voldemort's gaze,

"Really? You want me to negotiate with them?"

Voldemort stroked Harry's cheek softly,

"Yes, I want you to negotiate. But if they do not surrender than you shall allow me to eliminate them."

Harry frowned. He had no experience with negotiations. How was he going to convince the Goblins to part with a responsibility that they had held for years? He bit his lower lip, knowing fully well that convincing the goblins was an impossible task but he knew that he had to try. Harry finally spoke,

"I'll do my best. If I fail then you can do whatever you see fit."

Voldemort pressed his lips gently to Harry's cheek briefly and then pulled them away,

"You did not get any sleep last night. Will you be alright?"

Harry nodded his head and met Voldemort's gaze,

"I'll be fine."

Voldemort stepped back and then spoke,

"You have ten minutes to get ready, Harry. I shall be waiting for you downstairs."

Ten minutes was enough. Voldemort swept out of the room and Harry immediately rushed to the bathroom. He splashed some water over his face, brushed his teeth and stepped out of the bathroom. He dressed in a black shirt and black pants. He looked through the wardrobe for a pair of robes and heard the snakes hissing. He grimaced and pulled out the black robes with the snakes embroidered on the panels. Salazar Slytherin's robes. Harry pushed away the dark memories of the day that they had been acquired and pulled them on. He needed to look important today. He needed to look like Voldemort's spouse today.

Harry went to the mirror, straightened out his hair and pulled the locket out from underneath his shirt. It seemed to go with the robes and Harry realized that he looked good. Harry pulled on his socks and laced up the pair of dragon hide boots that he had found in the wardrobe. He had never worn boots before and now that he was wearing them, they actually felt really comfortable.

He stepped out of the room and made his way to the orchard. Harry saw Voldemort standing there, with the twins standing behind him. He noticed how the twins looked at him awestruck. He noticed the way Voldemort eyed him from head to toe and smirked appreciatively. When Harry drew close, Voldemort kissed his cheek gently,

"You could make those goblins cower at your feet just with your looks."

Harry looked away and couldn't stop the blush that crept up his cheeks. Voldemort took his arm gently and they apparated.

Harry half expected to find himself outside Gringotts but he found himself standing in Malfoy Manor's living room. Soon the twins appeared there as well. Voldemort led him to the ballroom silently.

His jaw dropped when he saw Voldemort's army assembled there, robed and masked, prepared to take over Gringotts. Voldemort walked straight through them and they all fell on their knees as he passed them.

They reached the raised platform and Voldemort addressed the death eater,

"Our plans have experienced a change. Harry has volunteered to negotiate with the Goblins. Harry will be accompanied by Sirius Black and the twins. If their negotiations fail then I shall head the attack upon Gringotts."

Harry felt anxious at that. This meant that Voldemort wouldn't be coming with him to the negotiations. Voldemort patted Harry on the shoulder and spoke,

"Good luck, Harry."

Harry nodded quietly. Voldemort turned to the twins and Sirius who had just joined them,

"I shall not forgive you if a hair on his head is harmed."

They bowed and spoke,

"We shall guard him with our lives."

Voldemort smirked in satisfaction and then embraced Harry,

"Be careful, Harry."

Harry nodded his hand. Voldemort released Harry. He was still concerned. What if Harry tried to escape again? What about the twins and Black helped him escape? There had been no thoughts in Harry's head about that. He would just have to trust Harry and see how it would play out.


	124. Chapter 124

Harry appeared along with the twins and Sirius at Diagon Alley. He looked up at the towering, snowy white building of Gringotts in front of him and knew that the task he had taken on was more difficult than he had initially suspected. Harry walked towards it steadily and reached the marble steps that led to the great bronze doors. Two liveried goblins flanked the entrance. Harry walked up the white stone steps toward them. The goblins were about a head shorter than Harry and Harry realized that they were regarding him with a distrustful look. Nevertheless, they bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with the poem engraved in them that had fascinated Harry so much when he had been here the first time.

Harry felt an uneasy sensation in the pit of his stomach and he reassured himself that he was doing this to protect the goblins. A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall. Harry felt the uneasy sensation in his gut worsen. Why was he feeling as if something was wrong?

He made his way to the nearest counter and spoke,

"I wish to speak with the head goblin."

The goblin placed the eyeglass down on the table and looked at Harry with the same sceptical expression that he had seen on the faces of the goblins outside. After a minute of deliberation, the goblin replied,

"The head goblin is in a meeting."

Harry knew that he didn't exactly have a deadline but he wasn't really planning to wait. The head goblin would just have to cut the meeting short if he valued his life. He finally spoke,

"Tell him that it's urgent."

The goblin looked at Harry closely and then spoke,

"Blordak, escort Mr. Potter and his companions to the meeting room."

A smaller goblin made his way towards them and led him towards a pair of silver doors down the hall. Blordak opened the doors and signalled them in. Harry stepped into a huge room but instead of focusing on his surroundings, his froze when his gaze came to rest on Dumbledore standing in the middle of the room. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles. Harry saw him smile benignly as he observed Harry,

"Harry, my boy, how are you?"

Harry was too numb to reply. He was too numb to even move. He had been betrayed by this man. This man had tried to kill him. Harry closed his eyes as he imagined the rush of green light leaving Dumbledore's wand and rushing towards him. He snapped out of his stupor as Sirius rested his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it,

"I'm fine."

He hadn't added professor like he normally would have. Dumbledore hummed in pleasure. Harry couldn't understand how the man was so calm. Maybe he was acting calm. He realized that Dumbledore had completely dismissed the presence of the twins and Sirius, as if they were unworthy of his attention.

Dumbledore spoke again in a cheerful voice,

"I was not expecting you, Harry. I had imagined that Tom would come to settle the negotiations himself."

Harry shifted his gaze away from Dumbledore and looked at the head goblin seated behind the desk. When he spoke next, he was addressing the goblin,

"Voldemort doesn't believe in negotiations but I do. I have a proposition for you that might settle this without any bloodshed."

Dumbledore drew closer to Harry and Harry stood his ground. He took the locket around Harry's neck in his long, thin fingers and spoke thoughtfully,

"Harry, I always thought that you were a proud Gryffindor. This attire does not suit you."

Harry didn't meet Dumbledore's gaze and continued to look away,

"Come home, Harry. You are always welcome in the order."

Harry shook his head and finally met Dumbledore's twinkling blue gaze,

"I am already home with Voldemort. He's my spouse and we are perfectly happy with each other."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled sinisterly,

"Are you in love with him?"

Harry didn't reply to it. He didn't like Dumbledore's proximity to him at the moment and he was continuously resisting the urge to step back,

"I didn't come here to talk to you."

Dumbledore laughed airily but made no move to retract his fingers from the locket,

"I am willing to wager that Tom has placed a compulsion charm on you or maybe…."

Before Dumbledore could complete his sentence, the twins and Sirius had placed themselves between Harry and Dumbledore,

"Don't listen to him, Harry."

Harry fingered the locket, glad that it was away from Dumbledore's fingers. But he was lost deep in thought. Was Voldemort really keeping him under a spell. He didn't feel like it. But how would he know what it would feel like to be under one. But if that were true than Voldemort's behaviour in the past few days would be nothing more than an act. It couldn't be true. He had seen the emotions in Voldemort's eyes. He had felt them. Harry decided that he wouldn't be fazed by Dumbledore's words but he was still a bit curious about what Dumbledore had been about to say to him. He finally spoke,

"Or maybe what?

Dumbledore smiled as he realized that he had caught Harry's attention,

"Maybe Tom is slipping you love potions, just like his mother used to do with his father."

Harry eyes widened in shock. This was new. He had never thought about Voldemort's parents. And he realized how stupid that had been. Voldemort hadn't always been Voldemort. He had been Tom Riddle once. And Tom Riddle must have been a young innocent boy at some point. Harry felt his heart bleed for Voldemort. What circumstances could have caused him to change so drastically? What had led him to become Lord Voldemort? How had Tom Riddle lost his innocence? Harry found himself itching to know the answers. Voldemort was changing for the better now and Harry felt his resolve strengthen. He believed in the man. He believed in Voldemort with his life.

Dumbledore observed Harry and realized that he was deep in thought. He had come here to negotiate with the goblins but he had achieved something much better. He had been informed of the growing closeness between Harry and Tom and it had unsettled him. He was certain that Tom would take over the wizarding world effortlessly with Harry's devotion and it was absolutely essential to distance them. He had successfully planted the seeds of doubt in Harry's mind. He was certain that now Harry would try to detach himself from Tom again

Dumbledore passed Harry another smile and after waving goodbye stepped away,

"Good luck with your negotiations, Harry."

When Dumbledore had departed, Harry slumped back against the wall. Sirius turned around and rested his hand to Harry's cheek,

"Are you alright, Harry?"

Harry nodded silently,

"I'm fine."

Sirius patted his cheek,

"Don't listen to him. He's trying to unsettle you."

Harry knew that already. He straightened up and turned his attention back to the head goblin,

"What has Dumbledore offered you?"

The head goblin raised his eyebrow at Harry and then spoke,

"Gringotts is not for sale."

Harry drew closer to the desk and sat down in the empty chair opposite to the head goblin. He repeated his question,

"What has he offered you?"

The goblin laced his long fingers together and then spoke,

"Godric Gryffindor's sword in exchange for denying negotiations with The Dark Lord."

Harry smirked. This was weak. He had thought that Dumbledore must have offered something more than a sword. But he wondered why the goblins seemed interested in the sword. He pushed away the thought for later. Fred leaned closer to Harry and whispered in his ear,

"We have the sword."

Harry's jaw dropped and he whispered back,

"Really? But how?"

Fred winked at him and spoke,

"We swapped the real one with a fake in Dumbledore's office. That is how we proved ourselves to the Dark Lord."

Harry couldn't hide the amused smirk that formed on his lips. He had always wondered how the twins had won Voldemort's trust and now he had his answer,

"Dumbledore's lying. We have the original sword of Godric Gryffindor."

The goblin didn't look convinced. George pulled out the sword from the satchel he was carrying. Harry wondered how George had made it fit in. He presented the sword reverently to Harry. Harry took it in his hands and just stared at it for a while.

It was beautiful as he remembered it to be. The sword was made of pure silver, and its hilt was set with egg-sized rubies, the gemstone that was used to symbolise the House of Gryffindor at Hogwarts. Harry checked the hilt and found the name of Godric Gryffindor engraved there. Harry looked away from the sword and observed the head goblin, who was staring at the sword greedily.

Harry knew that he now had the goblins undivided attention. He felt overjoyed to know that now he had the upper hand in the negotiations,

"I can offer you the sword and in addition to that the Goblins will continue to retain their jobs and status at Gringotts. But, the economic policies shall be defined by Lord Voldemort and he shall hold his sway over the bank."

The Goblin frowned at that and then spoke,

"Dumbledore believes that Lord Voldemort will betray the goblins. He said that Lord Voldemort believes that goblins to be far inferior to wizards."

Harry knew that's exactly what Dumbledore had said. Dumbledore had told him countless lies like these before,

"You're mistaken. Almost all the magical creatures have allied themselves with Lord Voldemort because they believe that his ideology represents tolerance and equality."

The head goblin was beginning to seem more and more inclined. Harry decided to hammer the last nail in the coffin and spoke,

"I think that you'll benefit a lot from this deal and the best part is that you'll all get to keep your lives because if you don't agree to these terms then there will be a battle and I doubt that you can win against Lord Voldemort's forces."

The head goblin was definitely contemplating the terms,

"I shall have to consult the other goblins."

Harry leaned back in his seat and spoke,

"Sure, take your time. But I won't leave here without a reply."

The head goblin excused himself and exited the office. Harry was certain that he would be back with a positive reply. The twins patted him on the shoulder,

"You did great, Harry."

Harry wondered about that. He wouldn't have been able to do anything if Voldemort hadn't planned ahead and acquired the sword. He realized that he really wasn't capable of much.


	125. Chapter 125

Dumbledore was gripped by a wave of cold fury as his bony fingers closed tightly around the fake sword. He had only checked the sword on a mere whim and instead he had realized that he had been bested by mere teenagers. He had no doubt that the twins had done this. He should have expelled those red-haired traitors when he had had the chance. Dumbledore paced his office furiously. He would have to do something to correct this. He would have to do something to prevent Voldemort from taking over Gringotts. Dumbledore glanced at the watch. It had only been half an hour since he had returned from Gringotts. Harry was possibly still present there and he was relatively vulnerable. He could not allow Harry to return to Voldemort. Now was the best time to make a move.

Harry was leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed. How long were the goblins going to take to decide? He had been waiting here for at least an hour. Sirius and the twins had conjured chairs for themselves and were seated as well. A few minutes later, the door opened. Harry opened his eyes and turned expectantly in his seat to see Bill standing there. Harry had almost forgotten that Bill worked here. Sirius and the twins rose to greet him. Bill smiled softly and spoke,

"Hey, Harry. How are you?"

Harry rose to his feet as well and shook Bill's hand,

"I'm great. How are you?"

Bill nodded quietly and spoke,

"I'm fine, Harry."

The twins embraced their brother and exchanged greetings,

"How are Mum and Dad?"

Bill averted his gaze and spoke,

"They're fine. I guess."

Harry met Bill's gaze,

"Well, what are the goblins thinking?"

Bill stood silent for a while. It seemed as if he was fighting an inner battle. Finally, he spoke,

"I don't know. I wasn't let in on the meeting. They're having some heated arguments though."

Harry closed his eyes and hoped that the decision was in his favour. Bill spoke again,

"Harry, you look tired. Take a seat. Can I get you anything?"

Harry sat down again,

"Just water."

Bill nodded quietly. He had been hoping that Harry would opt for it and he had. He wasn't at ease doing this but it had to be done. Harry wasn't himself anyway. He was under Voldemort's influence and Harry would probably thank him later for saving him. He still had to disarm his brothers and Sirius. That was the real challenge. He knew they trusted him at the moment and their wand were safely tucked away in their robes. He just had to stun them quickly but first he needed to get Harry out of the way. Dumbledore had warned him about Harry's magic. He conjured a glass of water and handed it to Harry.

Harry took the glass from Bill's hand and downed the water in one. He really had been parched. He noticed that Bill looked extremely pale and anxious. Harry leaned back in seat again and closed his eyes. The fact that he hadn't slept last night was catching up to him and his eyelids were beginning to grow extremely heavy. Bill noticed the potion's effects on Harry and decided that it was now or never. He raised his wand and fired three stunners consecutively. They all hit their mark. The twins and Sirius lay slumped back in their seats.

Bill hurried closer to Harry and patted his cheek. Harry mumbled incoherently. He took his wrist and raised him up to his feet. Harry was semi-conscious enough to struggle weakly against Bill but it didn't last. Soon Harry went completely still. Bill swallowed the rush of guilt that he felt. This was all for Harry's good.

Dumbledore smirked down at Harry's pale, unconscious form laid out at his feet. He wondered how Voldemort would react to this. The man would certainly be bothered because Harry was currently carrying three of his horcruxes. He had dismissed Bill as soon as he had brought Harry in. This was his first greatest victory and he was practically overjoyed. He wondered if he should take the opportunity to kill Harry and destroy the horcruxes but decided against it. Harry was his bargaining chip and he intended to use him for as long as he could.

Voldemort paced the room nervously. It had been two hours now. Where were they? A thousand different scenarios played across his mind. Soon enough the doors burst open and the twins entered the room with Black trailing behind him looking defeated. Alarms began going off in his head as he realized that Harry was not with them. He met them half way and spoke anxiously,

"Where is Harry?"

The twins didn't respond and collapsed on their knees in front of him with their heads bowed. Black stood still. Voldemort noticed that tears were streaming down his cheeks. The sight of Black made his heart ache and caused a thousand different thoughts to accelerate inside his head. He wanted them to slow down so that he could breathe but they wouldn't. His breaths came in gasps. His heart was hammering inside his chest like it belonged to a rabbit running for its skin. He roared out,

"WHERE IS HE?"

There was no reply which began to confirm his worst fears. His hands grabbed one of the twins by his hair and spoke,

"Show me."

Voldemort looked into Fred's eyes and looked through the memory. When he was finished, he relinquished his hold and collapsed on his knees,

"Harry…"

Tears streamed freely down his cheeks. He had never felt this weakened. This was his fault. It was all his fault. He shouldn't have sent Harry. He shouldn't even have allowed him to leave the castle. He closed his eyes and wiped away the tears. Dumbledore would pay. He rose to his feet and spoke,

"We shall take over Hogwarts, tonight."

The twins kissed Voldemort's feet,

"We have failed you, my Lord. We have failed Harry."

Voldemort rested his hands on the twins' heads,

"You have done nothing that cannot be corrected, boys. Get up. We shall have our payback."

The twins kissed his feet again,

"We shall not disappoint."

The twins rose and departed from the room to make preparations. Voldemort moved to Black and rested his hand on his shoulder,

"Do you want to get your Godson back?"

Sirius nodded his head silently as his hands balled into fists,

"I'll kill the old fool with my own hands if he's hurt Harry."

Voldemort patted his shoulder and spoke,

"Prepare yourself then."

Sirius nodded curtly and stepped out of the room.

Voldemort stood alone in the room again. He had to save Harry. He had to save him. His nightmare played in front of his eyes over and over again. Where was Harry? How was he? Would he be calling his name? Would he be in pain? He had to find out. He had to get him back. He was certain that Dumbledore wouldn't kill him but nothing would stop the old man from destroying the horcruxes and hurting Harry. The horcruxes were of no consequence to him. A few months ago, they would have been. A few months ago, he wouldn't have minded if Harry was injured or tortured, as long as the horcrux inside him survived. But now Harry had changed everything. He had changed him. He would gladly bear all the pain and suffering as long as Harry was alive and well.


	126. Chapter 126

For a moment, the world was a blur of dull colours. Then, as Harry properly awoke, everything came into focus. He wished it hadn't, for he found himself once more in a dark cell. Shackles were tied around his ankles and wrists, chaining him to the solid brick wall behind him. He felt a heavy collar around his neck. Every time he so much as shifted, the chains made echoing noises that seemed to go on forever.

Harry's gaze scanned the cell and came to a sudden halt beside him. His jaw dropped open and he restrained a cry from escaping his lips. Luna was chained right beside him. How long had she been here? When had Dumbledore taken her? Her eyes were closed and she looked pale and deathlike. Why hadn't he noticed her disappearance? Harry shook himself out of his stupor and whispered,

"Luna…. Can you hear me?"

Luna's eyelids flickered and she rasped out,

"Harry…"

Harry felt tears brimming in his eyes and his heart filled with resentment towards Dumbledore. He would kill the man himself. Luna was here merely because she was his friend. She murmured softly,

"Harry…. you're not supposed to be here."

The tears streamed down Harry's eyes. He wasn't good for anything. He couldn't protect the ones he loved. He couldn't do anything but play prisoner and hope to be rescued. Harry could feel his rage growing. He felt it burning through him. Suddenly, pain, unimaginable and unbearable tore through his body and he screamed. He screamed at the top of his lungs. The pain vanished as soon as it had appeared and Harry slumped back against the wall. His eyelids drooped and his entire body felt spiritless. Luna was talking to him. He could hear her voice and held onto it,

"Relax. It's alright. Just breathe, Harry."

Harry realized that he wasn't breathing and drew in several shaky, shallow breaths,

"Good…now, try to sleep."

Harry shook his head, resisting the urge to just shut down. He needed answers and he needed them now,

"Talk to me, Luna."

For a few minutes, there was utter silence,

"Harry, Dumbledore has been draining the information from my mind. I tried fighting it. I tried closing my mind but I wasn't strong enough. I'm so sorry, Harry. That's how he knew about Destrian."

Tears continued to slide down Harry's cheeks,

"This is all my fault, Luna. I should be the one apologizing. You're here because of me and I'll do anything to get you out."

Harry felt betrayed and used. Everything had been a lie. Dumbledore had played him so easily. Voldemort's face swan in front of his vision and he choked out a sob. What if Voldemort was the same? What if he was being used all over again? Luna's voice tore through his thoughts,

"Don't doubt him. There are things that will shake your faith in him but you have to stay strong. He is the only person who loves you sincerely right now and he will do anything to save you."

Harry remembered the tears in Voldemort's eyes. He remembered the emotions he had seen play across his handsome face. He remembered the way they had kissed. He remembered their intertwined fingers and the happiness he had felt. That wasn't a lie. None of it had been a lie. Harry assured himself of that over and over again. Luna was right. He had to stay strong. He had to stay strong for Voldemort,

"What do I have to do?"

Luna spoke gently,

"You have to keep believing in him."

Harry nodded his head quietly. It seemed a simple enough thing to do,

"It's not going to be easy, Harry. Dumbledore is going to mess around with your head again."

Harry nodded again. He knew Dumbledore well enough now. Half-truths and lies were Dumbledore's greatest weapons and Harry had been subjected to them mercilessly for the past five years. He knew he could make it through. He would have to make it through if he ever wanted to be happy again.

"What does he want?"

Harry heard Luna's chains clink as she moved,

"Killing you is his last resort. He wants you by his side again."

Harry drew a long steadying breath. He still couldn't fathom where that pain had come from. He suspected it was because of the collar around his neck,

"The collar around your neck is to suppress your magic."

It began to make sense to him now. His magic must have been growing out of control at that moment and the pain had been to suppress it,

"How are you reading my mind?"

Luna laughed softly and Harry eased up at the sound,

"Captivity teaches you new things."

Harry wondered what he had learnt under Voldemort's captivity. He had learned a lot about magic. He had learnt a lot about magical creatures. He had also learnt who his real friends were. But the best thing that had come from his captivity was the castle. Even the thought of it warmed his heart. It would probably be missing him. Harry wondered if he could have the same connection with Hogwarts just like Voldemort had. He tried feeling for that distinct hum of magic and felt it as soon as he looked for it. It was coursing through the walls and Harry felt as if it was at its disposal. Harry nuzzled his head against the wall,

"You were always my first home. I'm sorry I never knew your true worth."

Harry smiled as he felt that familiar wave of happiness. He knew that these shackles could not hold him or Luna anymore. They would vanish whenever he would wish it. But this wasn't the right time to escape for him. Although it was the perfect time for Luna to go. She could warn Voldemort about Dumbledore's intentions and she would be a great asset to him in this battle. As soon as he thought it, the castle obliged. Harry heard a click and he opened his eyes to see that Luna was free from the shackles. She was staring at him dreamily,

"Harry, you have to come along."

Harry shook his head,

"I have to stay here, Luna. But you have to go to Voldemort and you have to help him."

Luna cupped his cheek with her hand,

"What if Dumbledore hurts you?"

Harry smiled softly,

"I have a strong ally now."

Luna smiled sweetly,

"You were always so special, Harry."

Harry closed his eyes again and he felt Luna's lips brush his forehead,

"Stay strong. We'll get you out of here soon."

The lock on the door clicked open and he heard Luna sneak out. Harry felt relieved. At least Luna could not get hurt anymore. There was nothing that Dumbledore could use against him now.


	127. Chapter 127

The twins escorted Luna to the living room of Malfoy Manor. The furniture had been vanished and the empty space now consisted of a large table, on top of which the Marauders Map was laid out. Voldemort was staring intently at it, when the twins announced their presence and sought permission to enter. Voldemort looked up from the map and soon as his gaze landed on Luna, his expression turned murderous. He silently signalled the twins to leave and made his way towards her. In a flash, he had her pinned to the wall and his hands were clasped around her throat. He roared out,

"TRAITOR!"

Luna stared up at him calmly and as soon as Voldemort met her gaze, he lost himself the memories.

In an instant, his hands fell away from her throat and he stepped back,

"How could you just leave him there? You should have brought him back."

He buried his face in his hands as he focused on the memory of Harry, chained and shackled, completely at Dumbledore's mercy.

Luna strode towards him and rested her hand on his shoulder,

"Hogwarts is going to protect him."

Voldemort didn't take his head out of his hands and kept his eyes closed,

"I should have told him. I should have told him about the horcruxes. What will he think when Dumbledore will tell him about them?"

Luna stepped away from him,

"Harry will not let Dumbledore manipulate him anymore."

Voldemort sighed and couldn't stop the tears that streamed down his cheeks. His chest ached with pain so unimaginable that he thought it just might kill him. H felt an overwhelming burden on himself and it was suffocating him,

"It shall not be manipulation. It shall be the truth and Harry will understand it for what it is. He will feel so betrayed. I have let him down."

Luna pulled his hands away from his face and placed the locket on his palm,

"Do you feel any remorse, Lord Voldemort?"

Voldemort looked down at the locket in his hand and clutched it tightly. He knew what he had to do. If he could just reassemble his soul, then Harry would be safe,

"You have to do this for Harry."

He knew that it was a painful process. He might die, or worse, Harry might die. But he had to give it a try. It was the only way. He nodded his head resolutely and disapparated.

The door opened with a creak and Harry half expected Dumbledore to step through. He was disappointed to see Ron and Hermione standing in the doorway. Hermione had her arms crossed across her chest and Ron came to stand beside her and instantly his mouth dropped open,

"Hermione, Luna's gone."

Hermione's brown gaze swept the cell and landed on the shackles,

"How long has she been gone, Harry?"

Harry tried to look dumbfounded,

"Luna was here?"

Hermione bit her lower lip. She seemed tense. Finally, after deliberation she spoke,

"Ron, go and inform Professor Dumbledore."

Ron gave Harry an uneasy smile and hurried out of the cell. Hermione turned to Harry and spoke softly,

"How are you, Harry?"

Harry felt the castle's rage coursing through his body and he struggled hard to calm it down. He knew that the castle would readily crush them between its walls but Harry didn't want that. He didn't want anyone to die, except for Dumbledore. Harry sat up straighter and the chains clanked noisily,

"I'm fine. How have you been?"

Hermione smiled sadly and stepped forward,

"Oh Harry, I wish I didn't have to see you in these awful chains. But you have to understand that these are necessary."

Harry nodded his head quietly. Everything inside him was screaming though. How could they be so blind? How could they not see Dumbledore's manipulation? They had told him that they would never abandon him. He had surrendered everything for them so that they could live. He had loved them, cared for them, trusted them. And here they were, acting like Dumbledore's lackeys.

Hermione suddenly sprang forwards and moved her hand over his chest. Harry saw her eyes widen with fear,

"Where's the locket, Harry."

Harry realized that it was gone. He remembered the way Luna had drawn close to him to kiss his forehead. He was certain that she must have taken it. Harry felt his internal screaming subside and he met Hermione's gaze,

"I don't know."

Hermione turned sharply on her heels and exited the cell. Harry smirked victoriously. He was glad that Luna was gone and he was even gladder that she had taken the locket with her. He felt the castle's rage subside and Harry nestled his cheek against the wall,

"I don't want anyone to die."

A few minutes passed in peaceful silence and then the door exploded open with a bang. Dumbledore stood there in the doorway, his eyes twinkled dangerously and the expression on his face was of pure rage. Harry sat extremely still. He could feel the castle's readiness to defend him and it made him feel extremely secure. Dumbledore stepped closer to him and smiled dangerously,

"Harry, where is Luna Lovegood?"

Harry shook his head,

"I don't know."

Dumbledore stepped closer and grabbed him by the hair. Harry kept his lips sealed shut and closed his eyes tightly. He wouldn't let Dumbledore read his mind. He wouldn't allow it,

"You have made a grave mistake by placing your loyalties with Voldemort."

Harry didn't reply and kept his eyes firmly shut. The pain was like a knife being twisted in his spine. It shots up fast, erasing every thought from his head and paralyzing his body. Apparently, he screamed, but he didn't recall that part, only the pain. It felt like it lasted for ages before it stopped. He could feel walls around him, enclosing him in a small tomb. He opened his eyes and drew in several shaky breaths before he began to feel the soft hum of the castle's magic thrumming through his veins. He couldn't see Dumbledore; the walls hid him from view. The chains had retreated and he was free. Harry rose to his feet shakily and the walls vanished, revealing a wide-eyed Dumbledore staring at him,

"I bet you didn't see this coming."

Harry stepped forward. His hands balled into fists. His own rage combined with the castle's filled him with a heady sense of power. Dumbledore's expression changed from shocked to amused and he spoke,

"Why do you think Voldemort cares about you, Harry? Why do you think he kept you alive?"

Harry closed his eyes and willed himself not to listen. He didn't want to listen to any of Dumbledore's lies,

"I'm not going to discuss this with you."

Harry had just moved to step towards the door when Dumbledore rested his hand on his shoulder and spoke,

"You have a piece of his soul residing in you, Harry. You are nothing more than a possession to him. You are nothing more than a bond tying him to his immortality."

Harry felt his world fall away. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't be true. Harry pushed away from Dumbledore and stepped out of the cell. He realized that he was on the seventh-floor corridor and he had been held at the room of requirement. Harry felt nauseous as he rushed through the corridor. He had no idea where he was going. He had never felt emptier in mind, body or soul, never so bereft of any comfort. He had never felt so worthless or disposable, never so wretched and cold. He had no emotions, only an urge to move fast; then all at once he collapsed on the floor, shaking with a grief that bled from his bones. Harry couldn't help but ask why he was still alive. Silent tears streamed down his eyes. He clutched himself tighter as if his arms could help him hold his crumbling being.

He was taken by surprise with the excruciating pain that consumed him. It was like an icy wind choking the breath from his lungs and making a noose around his neck. It's savage, bitter blasts cut right to his bones and gripped his brain in its freezing claws. His heart constricted in its wake as if not sure if it should go on beating. The pain throbbed in his gut. It felt like someone had their hand in there and were squeezing his organs first gently and then as hard as they could. It was like someone was trying to rip his insides out. The sound of his own screams deafened him and he felt the life seeping out of him.

Voldemort lay sprawled on the cemetery ground, a few inches away from Destrian's grave. Nagini and the locket had been reduced to nothing but a pile of ash. Voldemort's mouth was closed in a grimace, his skin was pale and clammy. Tear tracks streaked his cheeks. Every few minutes he would scream at the top of his lungs. It had a raw quality, the realness of a person consumed by a pain that knew no end or limit. Then he would just go quiet, just panting and after a few minutes his screaming would begin anew, loud enough to raise the dead from their graves.


	128. Chapter 128

The first sensation that Harry felt was his cheek pressed to cold, wet stone. He opened his eyes and slowly tried to get up but quickly realized how futile it was when he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out. Sharp pain lanced through his head and colourful spots flashed in front of his eyes, it felt like his whole body had been beaten and every movement caused some muscle or bone to ache. The distant sound of explosions caught his attention. That could only mean that Voldemort was here.

He raised his head as slowly as possible and glanced around. He was sprawled out on the ground at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. He was in the chamber of secrets. How couldn't quite fathom how he had gotten here. With a pang, he remembered what Dumbledore had told him and Harry couldn't hold the sob that escaped his lips.

A sudden bout of nausea swirled unrestrained in his empty stomach. His head swam with half-formed regrets. His heart felt as if his blood had become tar as it struggled to keep a steady beat. The heartache he felt was like an insatiable fire that burnt all the oxygen in his body and left him listless and empty.

Harry screamed. He screamed at the top of his lungs as the pain in his chest got worse. It was far worse than any physical pain. How could Voldemort do this to him? After everything that they had shared in the last few days. It had been real. It had to be real. How could he let Voldemort hide this from him? Was it really the reason he had been keeping him alive and caring for him? No, Voldemort hadn't always cared for him. He had raped him, abused him, tortured him in every possible. It was only a few days ago when he had begun to care. He knew he was being desperate but there had to be an explanation for this. He didn't want to give up on Voldemort. He didn't want to give up on the happiness that he had felt with him when they had watched those fireworks. No, he would give Voldemort a chance to justify. Luna had told him to be strong. She had told him to believe.

Harry rose to his feet steadily, the castle's strength thrummed through him. He looked down at his hand and painfully realized that the ring was gone, replaced by an angry burn mark. He couldn't fathom what had happened to it but the loss of it only served to increase his pain.

Voldemort stood at the edge of the forbidden forest. He had been incredibly physically weakened by the ritual. The battle had just begun and he given specific orders to his death eaters to refrain from causing undue damage to the castle. He could feel Hogwarts joy and its rage. The castle was welcoming him and it was enraged at the tyrants that tried to keep it from him. He drew his strength from the castle and made his way towards the castle. He had to get to Harry. He had to know that he was alive, that he had survived the ritual. What if he had been reduced to ash as well, just like Nagini? No, he wouldn't think about that. Harry was alive, he could feel it. He walked through the battlefield, through the curses and jinxes but nothing seemed to touch him. Nothing came even close to touching him because the castle was protecting him.

He walked straight through the great oak doors and made his way towards the seventh floor. Luna Lovegood had informed him that she and Harry had been kept in the Room of Requirement. He had just walked into the corridor when he saw Dumbledore standing there, dressed in bright blue robes with gold and silver stars embroidered on them,

"Tom, I cannot say that I am pleased to see you."

Voldemort pulled out his wand. He wanted to kill the man but before that he had to find out where Harry was,

"Likewise. Where is Harry?"

Dumbledore stepped closer to him and Voldemort saw the malicious glint in those blue eyes,

"I made Harry aware of the secrets that you held from him and he stormed out of here. Did he not return to you?"

A gasp escaped his lips and he took a step back. Harry had left the castle and he felt a sinking feeling in his chest. That feeling told him that he would probably never see Harry again. He felt a weight of the sorrow bring him to his knees. His mind clouded with pain, his heart grew cold and numb with pent up emotion. He felt clogged with pain and anger, hurt, and fear. All he could do was cry. So, he let it out in one long mournful yell to the heavens. Within his heart, he longed for his cry to be loud enough to reach Harry. He wanted Harry to know how much he hurt for him, how much he regretted hurting him.

Dumbledore stepped closer to him and spoke in a low merciless voice,

"You never deserved him. You can never be good enough for him, no matter how extensively you change. You are a predator, Tom, and a predator never changes it ways"

He had never expected Dumbledore's words to hurt him so much, it feels like a thousand knives just pierced through his heart. He could feel the hot tears streaming down his cheeks and he had no control over them. He looked up at Dumbledore and he was overcome with the urge to murder the man but he knew that his words were the truth. Even if he wanted to deny them and fight about them, in the end they were still true.

His wand slipped from his hands. There was no reason for him to fight anymore. He could see no reason to live anymore and that was when he spoke out in a broken voice,

"Kill me, Dumbledore, and end this."

But it wasn't Dumbledore that replied,

"Are you really going to die before giving me an explanation? I'm your spouse, for heaven's sake, I deserve an explanation."

Voldemort's eyes shot up and he saw Harry standing there at the end of the corridor. His gaze took in Harry's pale, haggard appearance, but he was alive and he was here. He hadn't left. Harry hadn't left him. Which meant there was still hope. Hope beaded his skin like dew on spring grass. He could feel it radiating in to soothe his blood. It formed such perfect spheres, each one like a tiny world of its own. Hope alone was enough for him to snatch his wand from where he had dropped it and rise to his feet. Harry's eyes were glistening with tears. He promised himself that he would never let him cry again,

"Harry, are you alright?"

Harry didn't respond and turned his attention to Dumbledore,

"You're going to die. Any last words?"

Dumbledore merely smirked and met Voldemort's gaze,

"Remember my words, Tom."

That was when Voldemort raised his wand and cast the killing curse that ended Dumbledore. He was by Harry's side in a heartbeat and held him in his arms. Harry's slender form, the warmth of his body reassured him that he was not dreaming. This was indeed happening. Harry leaned into the embrace and held him back. Voldemort rubbed soothing circles on Harry's back but he couldn't stop Dumbledore's words from echoing through his head and biting into his heart.


	129. Chapter 129

The hug was a simple enough gesture. It was filled with affection, and perhaps it was the fragile beginnings of love. The arms that held him were soft, yet strong. The feel of Voldemort's body so close to his soothed him more than he had expected. But within seconds Voldemort pulled away, his mind swam not with the heady excitement of a new relationship but with doubts.

He looked up at Voldemort and realized just how broken the man looked. He felt his own heart break at the sight and he felt his eyes stinging with tears. The deafening sounds of the battle still underway outside caught their attention and Harry felt the familiar rush of adrenaline course through his blood. Harry held back his tears and met Voldemort's gaze,

"You have to lead your death eaters to victory."

Voldemort stood rooted to the spot and Harry couldn't understand what was going through his mind. Whatever it was, it would have to wait. Harry grabbed his hand and dragged him with him,

"They are fighting for us out there. We need to go. NOW."

Voldemort stared in awe at Harry's back as he allowed himself to be maneuvered back to the battle. How could Harry just set everything aside? He realized that he couldn't listen to Harry's thoughts anymore and it made him feel all the more devastated. He had always known what was going through Harry's head and he had always known what to expect. But now, the uncertainty was killing him inside.

He pushed away those thought and couldn't help but bask in the purity that was radiating off Harry. His eyes closed shut as he fought back tears. Dumbledore was right. He didn't deserve Harry. He could never deserve him. He just hoped that Harry would leave him now. Somehow, he felt that he would die, if Harry ever chose to forgive him. He wanted Harry to see him as the selfish, vicious monster, that he was. He didn't deserve his forgiveness. He deserved to burn in the deepest, darkest pit of hell.

He had always thought that he would be on the other side if there was ever a battle. But it didn't surprise him. He was where he was always meant to be. He was with his family. The twins, Luna, Sirius and Voldemort were his family now and that meant that the death eaters were sort of like his extended family. So, at the moment, the only thought running through Harry's head was the safety of the twins, Luna, Sirius, the death eaters and lastly Voldemort. Explosions shook the castle and Harry quickened his pace and tightened his hold on Voldemort's wrist.

They reached the entryway where Harry grabbed a wand from the limp fingers of a corpse. He would regret it later. Right now, he just needed to end this thing. Harry felt the castle's strength reassure him and he stepped into the battlefield. His one hand was still wrapped around Voldemort's wrist and he deflected a volley of curses and fired some back. His gaze scanned the grounds and he realized that Aurors were participating in the fight as well. Harry verbally cursed. He wished the vampires would have been here. They would have been very useful right about now.

He continued to move cautiously but when he saw Bellatrix outnumbered by Aurors, he couldn't stop the fierce rush of protectiveness he felt and fired a whole array of curses at the Aurors around her. She regained her footing and after getting rid of the rest of her competition, raised one shining silver hand and gave him a salute. Harry couldn't help but feel mildly surprised and happy at that little gesture.

He quickly moved on, disarming and stunning as much of the competition as possible. He was also aware of the fact that Voldemort still hadn't raised his wand and the man had also made no move to free his wrist. Harry reached the forest and stepped in. Instantly he was being held in a tight embrace. The familiar scent told him that it was Sirius that was holding him. Harry didn't relinquish his hold on Voldemort's wrist,

"I'm fine, Sirius. I'm okay."

Sirius released Harry and looked him over. His gaze travelled behind him towards Voldemort and he silently relayed his question to Harry,

"Is he okay?"

Harry shook his head and then looked around the camp. It was obvious that there was some management needed and he would have to step up now. Harry took a quick decision. They needed a chance to regroup so that he could chalk up some strategy. He turned to Sirius and spoke,

"We need a ceasefire, Sirius. Can you arrange that?"

Sirius thought for a while and then spoke,

"I think that your voice might convince them of a ceasefire."

Harry thought it over. It made sense. He was half tempted to announce Dumbledore's death but he decided that it wouldn't help his cause so he held his wand to his throat and spoke,

"I, Harry Potter, spouse to The Dark Lord, call for a temporary ceasefire so that we both can tend to our injured."

Harry removed his wand and Sirius hugged him back,

"I think that will work."

Harry hoped that it would. Sure enough, the noises died down and in a few minutes, the camp was filled with death eaters. Harry finally released Voldemort's wrist and made him sit down on a tree stump. He spotted the twins in the crowd and hugged them tight,

"I'm so glad you're fine."

The twins rubbed his back,

"We're gladder to see you."

Harry made his way back to the head of the crowd. The twins and Luna came to stand beside him and he smiled when Bellatrix joined him too. The death eaters looked at him expectantly and he knew that he had finally earned their loyalty. He finally spoke,

"I don't have any experience with this but I know that I can count on all of you to help me out here. I think this is more than about Hogwarts now. It's about us as a family now and I'm certain that we'll come out on top if we work together with that in mind. I really can't stand to lose any single one of you because you're all my family. You're all I've got and I'm ready to fight for all of you if you'll fight with me. I swear I won't disappoint you."

The crowd burst into cheers and Harry felt overwhelmed by the support he felt. Bellatrix drew closer to him and rested his hand on his shoulder,

"You have my loyalty, Master Harry. You have all our loyalties."

Harry shook his head and smiled,

"Just Harry. I'm your equal"

She smiled back gently and at that moment, he saw her true beauty. Harry turned to Luna and spoke,

"We need to get Sanguini on board now."

Luna nodded her head and disappeared into the woods quickly. After that Harry turned to Sirius,

"You have to get to Remus. I think that the werewolves can really help us out."

Sirius grinned,

"Consider it done."

Harry looked at Bellatrix and smirked,

"The Aurors are all here. I'm sure you know what that means. You can take the Veelas and half the death eaters with you."

Bellatrix cackled madly and then thumped him on the shoulder playfully,

"Two birds with one stone. I think I'm starting to adore you."

Harry grinned back but it was soon replaced with surprise when she knelt in front of him, took his hand and kissed it,

"I am ready to lay the world down at your feet, my Lord"

Harry took her hand, raised her to her feet and brushed his lips against the cool metal,

"I can't tell you how honoured I feel."

She grinned, turned around and began barking orders to the death eaters. Harry felt the twins' gaze on him and spoke,

"I hope you brought all your toys. We're going to need them here."

The twins smirked wickedly and rubbed their hands together,

"We can always arrange for more."

When they had gone. Harry couldn't help but feel accomplished. They were going to win. He could practically taste it. But somewhere with accomplishment was concern for Voldemort. He didn't know what was wrong with him but he fully intended to make him better after all this was over.


	130. Chapter 130

Voldemort watched Harry in awe. Harry had gained his death eaters loyalty, their trust and more than anything, their love. He had always ruled them with fear. Seeing Harry achieve in minutes what he had never been able to in so many years made his heart ache more. It confirmed all his fears and proved Dumbledore right.

It had been an hour since the ceasefire and Harry had made the most of it. He had personally gone to the centaurs for help and they had agreed. The twins had returned with their supplies and Sirius had arrived with Remus, Greyback and their pack. Bellatrix had left with half the Death Eaters half an hour ago and Harry was certain that she would be wreaking havoc at the ministry right now. Currently he was going over the plan again with Sirius when the he felt the twins come up behind him,

"Breathe Harry. We're going to win."

Harry turned to them and smiled as best as he could,

"It's just overwhelming."

Sirius patted him on the shoulder,

"Everything's going to be fine now."

Harry turned to look at where Voldemort sat still and felt his concern worsen,

"I hope so."

Sirius was about to say something when the air turned cooler and Harry knew who had arrived. Sure enough, as he turned around, he couldn't help but grin as Sanguini made his way towards him. He took his hand and brushed his lips against it,

"How are you, Lord Harry?"

Soon enough Sanguini embraced him,

"It's good to see you. You look better than the last time."

Harry finally spoke,

"I am better. How are you?"

Sanguini patted his back,

"I have been busy taking over. After everything that happened, the castle was in chaos."

Harry knew what Sanguini was talking about and closed his eyes as the he felt Destrian's loss again. Tears seemed have slipped down his cheeks because Sanguini was immediately holding him at arm's length and wiping the tears away from his eyes,

"Ssshhh, Harry. Everything is finally falling in place. You are so close to a life full of happinees. Your tears don't belong there."

Harry closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath,

"You're right, Sanguini. I'm happy for you."

Sanguini patted his cheek,

"Let's get you, your empire now, shall we?"

Harry shook his head,

"It's not for me. It's for Voldemort. He's worked so hard for it and now when I don't know what's wrong with him, I think I have to step up for him so that he can recover in the meantime."

Sanguini nodded in understanding,

"I am worried about him too. He'll make it through though."

Harry nodded and embraced Sanguini again,

"Thank you for being here on such short notice. It means a lot to me."

Sanguini grinned widely,

"Are you kidding me, Harry? You literally invited us to a feast. My clan is very grateful for that."

Harry couldn't help but grin too,

"Just as long as you don't kill anyone."

Sanguini chuckled softly,

"As you wish, my lord."

He then turned away to join his clan and Harry turned back to the twins. He was just about to say something when he spotted Luna a few feet away behind some trees. He would have missed her entirely if her hair didn't stand out in stark comparison to the dark foliage that surrounded her. Harry made his way towards her. She seemed lost in thought because she didn't acknowledge his presence and as Harry drew closer to her, he realized that she was crying. Harry wondered if he had ever seen Luna cry. She had always been so calm and collected but now amidst the dark shadows, she looked hauntingly devastated.

Harry took another step closer to her and a twig cracked under his foot, the sound was worse than a bang under the circumstances and Luna whirled around to face him. She was wearing an expression of pure grief on her face and when she saw Harry, all that grief exploded and she grabbed Harry into a tight hug,

"Oh Harry…"

Harry rubbed soothing circles on her back. He couldn't understand what was wrong with her and even though he wanted to ask her what was wrong, he was fairly certain that she wouldn't tell him. So, Harry just tried to soothe her to the best of his capabilities and spoke,

"You know you can talk to me about anything, Luna."

Luna looked up at him with tear filled eyes and whispered,

"I wish I could talk to you about this."

She stepped away from him and spoke,

"You deserve so much, Harry."

The pained expression on Luna's face told him that there was a deeper meaning behind those words but before Harry could contemplate what it, he heard the twins calling out his name,

"Are you alright, Luna."

Luna nodded her head silently and spoke,

"It's time to end this."

Harry hugged her again and reassured Luna with the words that had been spoken to him countless times over the past one hour,

"Everything's going to be alright."

Luna smiled sadly and walked away from him wordlessly. Harry walked behind her and re-entered the camp. He went straight to the twins and spoke,

"So, are we ready to go?"

The twins nodded. Harry drew in a deep breath and spoke,

"Let's hope that they surrender peacefully."

Sanguini who had just re-joined him, chuckled darkly and spoke,

"I am hoping that they won't."

Harry laughed at that and then made his way out of the forest with the twins and Sirius at his side. He was nervous and he was fairly certain that Sanguini wouldn't be denied a feast tonight. He came to a halt in the centre of the ground, held his wand to his throat and urged the occupants to surrender. When he was done dictating the terms of surrender. He removed his wand from his throat and waited patiently for any signs of surrender. After the allocated fifteen minutes were over. Harry sighed. He hadn't wanted there to be a fight because in this case bloodshed would be inevitable and he didn't want anyone to die.

The occupants of the castle began spilling onto the grounds and Harry came face to face with Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout. Harry spotted Ron, Hermione, Neville and several of Dumbledore's Army in the crowd of Aurors, Students and Order Members. These were people he knew. People he had loved once. People he had sacrificed himself for once. He wished he could be anywhere but here but then as he raised his wand and fired off the sparks in the air that alerted to his army to join them, he realized that this where he was meant to be all along.

Harry heard the sounds of the army approach and he felt Sanguini's familiar presence behind him. But he didn't dare look back because he didn't want to grow over confident. The looks of shock and fear on the faces of his quarry was enough to tell him that he had them outnumbered and outplayed. Harry decided to extend the offer again, hoping that they would take it this time,

"Will you surrender now?"

Neville stepped forward and spat at Harry's feet,

"We'll surrender when hell freezes over."

Harry felt the twins' ready to lunge at Neville and raised his hand,

"I didn't want it to be this way but nevertheless best of luck."

Neville shot Harry a disgusted look,

"You killed Professor Dumbledore. I'll kill you personally."

At that statement, the twins did lunge forwards and all hell broke loose. The silence of the ground was replaced by shouts and screams. The darkness of the night was illuminated by the colourful curses and jinxes. Harry felt his blood pumping in his veins as he fired curse after curse at his opponents. Soon enough he found himself locked in a duel with Neville,

"How could you? After everything Professor Dumbledore did for you, how could you betray him?"

Harry didn't say anything. Neville deserved to live in his fool's paradise. Instead he focused on his magic and the castle's magic that was filling him up with unbelievable strength. In one swift motion, he had Neville disarmed and stunned.

The battle went on for longer than he had imagined but it was nearing to an end because the ground was littered with stunned and restrained order members, students and orders. The twins were just finishing up a duel with Kingsley and Harry saw several vampires enjoying their feast. It made him feel a bit sick so he averted his gaze. Sanguini came up beside him and Harry turned to him with a smile,

"Why aren't you feasting?"

Sanguini licked his lips and gazed over at where the twins had just disarmed Kingsley and stunned him,

"I enjoy redheads."

Harry choked on air at that statement and thumped him on the shoulder,

"Don't you dare hurt them."

Sanguini smirked mischievously and,

"I can't even dream of that."

Harry's jaw fell open at the implication behind Sanguini's words but then he laughed and moved his fingers through his hair,

"I don't think they're into guys."

Harry detected a hint of amusement in Sanguini's eyes as he rubbed his chin and regarded the twins,

"There is a first time for everything."

Harry was curious to see the outcome of this. The twins approached Harry with huge grins plastered on their faces. Harry grinned back and was soon being held in a tight embrace,

"We won."

Harry nodded his head and repeated,

"We won."

He felt Sirius, Sanguini and Luna join in the hug and Harry had never felt happier. He felt at home. He was finally home.


	131. Chapter 131

When Harry finally announced the victory. The cheers erupt like an auditory volcano. It was all quiet one second and then deafening the next. Soon enough, the sky burst into an array of colours and Harry couldn't help but stare up at it in fascination. The twins really had outdone themselves because every firework burst into a beautiful, colourful Dark Mark. Harry's gaze slid from the sky towards the forest.

Harry could hear them screaming with joy and could feel their feet disturbing the ground around him. Without looking, their smiles extended towards him, attempting to turn his face from what, from who, he was focused on. Their bodies moved together as they celebrated, rhythmically breaking into shapes and colours that tickled his heart.

Harry began making his way away from the celebrating crowd and walked towards the forest. He had just reached the edge of the grounds when Luna intercepted him. He looked up into her eyes and noticed that they were glistening with tears again,

"Luna, tell me everything's going to be fine."

Luna held his gaze and Harry watched as the sparkling tears made their way down her cheeks. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest and the blood thundering in his ears,

"What have you seen, Luna? Is he going to be fine? Is Voldemort going to recover?"

Luna hugged him tightly but Harry's gaze was fixed on the forest. He was terrified for Voldemort. That was when Luna spoke,

"He will be fine. But you…."

Harry wrapped his arms around her and felt relieved. Voldemort was going to be fine. He didn't care what happened to him as long as Voldemort was going to be fine. He laughed in relief and rubbed her back,

"Luna, you scared me."

Luna looked up at him and Harry just smiled at her,

"You know me. I'm always in some kind of trouble, Luna."

Luna's eyes were full of disbelief. He kissed her cheek,

"Everything's going to be alright. Smile for me, Luna. Please."

Luna frowned and then smiled weakly. Harry kissed her forehead gently and stepped into the forest. He navigated his way around the trees towards the camp and came to a standstill when he saw Voldemort still seated on the stump and staring at the sky expressionlessly. It broke Harry's heart and he made his way to him,

"We won."

Voldemort tore his gaze away from the sky and regarded Harry. There were no expressions on his face and no emotions in his eyes. Seeing Voldemort like this was killing him, suffocating him. He wanted Voldemort back. Even if it was the one who had savoured his pain and cherished his screams,

"Talk to me, please. Torture me, hurt me. Do something. Just don't sit there like that. It's killing me."

Harry saw a flash of emotions in those eyes but Voldemort's face remained passive. Harry turned his back to Voldemort and tried to stop the tears that were beginning to pool in his eyes. He had thought that Voldemort's torture had been cruel but this…this was way beyond cruel. It was brutally agonizing.

Harry felt his breath leave him as he suddenly felt Voldemort's arm encircle him. He turned around and met those wonderful, brown eyes which were flooded with emotions. Soon enough, Voldemort sobbed into his chest unceasingly, his hands clutched at his robes. Harry held him in silence, rocking him slowly as Voldemort's tears soaked his chest. A tiny lapse let him pull away, blinking lashes heavy with tears, before he collapsed again, his howls of misery worsening. The pain must have come in waves, minutes of sobbing broken apart by short pauses for recovering breaths, before hurling him back into the outstretched arms of his grief.

Harry couldn't hold back his own tears as he witnessed Voldemort's condition and continued to hold him. He reassured himself with Luna's words. She had told him that Voldemort would be fine and Harry realized that he was hanging onto that tiny thread of hope with all his life. Voldemort's sobbing subsided and he tried to meet Harry's gaze but failed miserably. Harry gently cupped his face,

"Look at me, please."

Voldemort continued to stare down at his feet,

"I cannot…I cannot meet your gaze."

Harry raised Voldemort's head up to meet his gaze,

"Why can't you meet my gaze?"

Voldemort had closed his eyes,

"I see all my transgressions in your eyes…"

Harry closed his eyes,

"I would gladly endure that all over again. Just please talk to me. Look at me."

In a flash, Voldemort had him pinned to a tree,

"Harry….How can you brush it all aside? I have hurt you, tortured you, used you, abused you in every way possible. How can you still stand here? How can you be so concerned for my well-being when I deserve nothing but your hate and contempt? Do you not understand that I will hurt you again? I am a monster, Harry and I can never change."

Harry buried his face in Voldemort's chest,

"You're not a monster anymore."

Voldemort opened his eyes and stared down at the ground. Regret washed over him like the long slow waves on a shallow beach. Each wave was icy cold and sent shivers down his spine. How he longed to go back and take a different path, but now that was impossible. There was no way back. There was no way to make it right. The remorse would eat at him every day for the rest of his life. He envied the pebbles at his feet, hard and lifeless that were unable to feel the torments of life,

"The time has passed, Harry. It is too late now."

Harry took Voldemort's hands and entwined his fingers with his,

"Don't do this to me. It's never too late. You're the only one who can make me happy. Look up at those fireworks. Can you remember what it felt like when we watched them the last time we were together? Don't you remember how happy we were?"

Voldemort looked up at the sky again and smiled ruefully,

"It was just an illusion."

Harry brought his lips close to Voldemort's and pressed a kiss to them,

"Was this an illusion as well? I know you've changed. You're so different now."

Voldemort met Harry's gaze,

"There is nothing left inside me. My emptiness will drain you. I will savour your pain rather than comfort you. I will hurt you every day and you will endure all of it over and over until there is nothing of you left to give and you are truly shattered. I will grow angry, like someone thirsty trying to drink from an empty vessel. I shall tire of you and discard you. In return you will feel inadequate, broken and confused as to why you are insufficient."

Harry didn't even flinch. He held Voldemort's gaze and spoke,

"I'll accept that if that is my fate."

Voldemort gripped Harry's shoulders tightly and Harry winced at the sudden pain,

"Let me give you a glimpse of my dark desires, Harry. I expect you to leave when I am through with you."

Harry closed his eyes and a groan slipped from his lips as Voldemort attacked them with his.


	132. Last Chapter

They were no longer in the forest, but standing in their bedroom. Voldemort's arms around him. That familiar strength. His warmth. The scent of him. His touch just made everything seem so perfect. Harry sighed and hugged him back. He felt the warm press of Voldemort's kiss in his hair. That soothing stroking, then his fingertips combing gently over his scalp. Lips on his forehead, at his temple. Voldemort touched his chin, made him lift his face so he could kiss his lips again.

That kiss. His taste. That palpable hunger, even when Voldemort was being his most gentle made Harry almost melt in his arms. Voldemort pulled back, and Harry braced himself. Was Voldemort going to retreat into that emotionless state again. No, he wouldn't be able to endure that,

"I cannot hurt you again, Harry."

Harry just stood there with tears sliding down his face,

"I want you to hurt me if that's what you really desire but we both know you've changed. There's this gentle side of you. The one you just showed me. Please, let me have that. Please don't stop."

Voldemort took Harry's hand and wiped away his tears,

"Why is it so difficult to resist you? Are you sure you want this?"

Harry nodded his head. Voldemort slowly undressed him, kissing every inch of skin as he bared it and then Voldemort vanished his own clothes with a wave of his wand.

Harry had never thought it possible but he craved Voldemort so much. The heat of him. His hungry kiss. His greedy grasping of his hair, pulling him closer.

Lying in bed, Voldemort held himself in trembling check. He had made up his mind minutes ago. Harry belonged here, in this castle, with his death eaters that he regarded as family now. He deserved this castle, Hogwarts, the ministry because in the end, it was him who had conquered everything along with the hearts of everyone. The only person out of place here was him and he would leave forever. He wasn't worthy of Harry just like Dumbledore had said. Each moment he spent with Harry was torturing him because even though Harry could just brush everything aside. He couldn't. The weight of his own sins was drowning him. He was selfish and even now he was tending to his own selfish tendencies. He had to stop this now.

He touched Harry lightly. Lingering for minutes, just stroking over the contours of his body, tracing along a hair line with a fingertip. Memorizing the planes and sleek slopes of his chest, of belly. Stretching out each minute, each second together as long as mortally possible.

Harry felt so content. He would eagerly, gratefully stay like this forever with Voldemort. Just feeling each other, looking at each other. Voldemort's gaze was still strangely opaque. That was so unfamiliar, it hurt,

"Look at me."

A soft kiss. Then his full attention. Voldemort had snapped out of whatever he had been thinking,

"Please, look at me."

Again, Voldemort made himself blank. So blank, so cold. Harry cooled in a panic. He'd asked too much. Voldemort drew slow, even, deep breaths. Finally, he softened. Even his mask, even his gaze faintly came through that opaque veil, now. He sighed,

"I wanted to try this, Harry. But no. We cannot do this without you getting hurt."

Voldemort was right about hurting him. He just didn't understand that the physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional pain he was feeling right now. The way he was looking at him, now, was excruciating. His brown eyes like two deep, vast chasms, filled up, flowing over with emotions, and all Harry wanted was to let himself fall into the abyss, to sink down and be lost there forever.

Voldemort gave him a sad smile, and kissed his lips. Pulled him to him, caressing, kissing, holding him tight. He didn't want his last memory of Harry to be like this. He wanted to see him happy. So, he decided to efface his pain, both of their pain, with pleasure. Real, hungry kisses. Rousing touches. Fingertips. Tongue. Lips and teeth.

Voldemort drew this out, too. Provoking, relenting. Teasing and tormenting until neither he nor Harry could wait any more.

Lying on top of Harry, their torsos pressed together, his hips nestled in the V of his thighs, his cock nuzzled up against Harry's hips.

Harry wasn't afraid, this time. He just wanted to cherish this moment with his life. It felt too special. He felt so special.

Voldemort trailed soft gentle kisses down Harry's scarred back. The reminder of his transgressions was right here in front of him. This was what he had done to him. This was what he would probably do again. That was why he would never take the chance. This moment would never happen again and that's why he memorized it with every cell of his body. The feeling of Harry's long, messy hair, still damp with sweat from their exertions. The rhythm of his breaths, lifting and lowering Harry like gentle waves.

Voldemort lubricated himself and Harry with a flick of his wrist. He had never cared about the pain that Harry had always experienced when he had penetrated him before in fact he had always cherished it. Dumbledore was right, he really was a monster. Carefully he shifted and slowly pushed inside of Harry.

Harry cried out as the pleasurable pain shot up his spine as Voldemort entered him. He had never thought that something that had terrified him once, could make him feel so safe now. Voldemort's concerned voice rang through his pleasured mind,

""Am I hurting you? Should I stop, Harry?"

Harry immediately spoke,

"No, you're not hurting me. You're perfect. You feel incredible."

Voldemort felt his heart wrench in his chest. How had he ever abused this beautiful person? His self-loathing increased tenfold.

Under his body, Harry could feel Voldemort's trembling strain. Not pain but his quivering, held-back hunger. Held tight in Voldemort's body, held close in his arms. He felt Voldemort beginning to move inside him. The pleasure was too much. Too much to believe. Too much to bear. Not just physical, but like his soul was being caressed and kissed. He sighed,

"I love you."

Harry realized what he had just said. It had just come out of him, as if something inside of him had chosen to speak, without asking him, first. He shouldn't have. He shouldn't have said it now because Voldemort was still getting accustomed to so many different emotions and he was obviously overwhelmed by them. Why had he said that? Love could wait. He knew he could make Voldemort feel it now. He was certain that Voldemort would feel it for him as soon as he grew used to all these emotions. They had a lifetime together and Harry planned to love Voldemort till the very end.

Voldemort's eyes widened as he took in Harry's words. No, Harry didn't mean them. Forgiveness was one thing but Harry could never love him. He could never love the monster that had snatched everything for him. This was just lust. It was nothing but lust and Harry had attributed it to love because he had never felt it before. But he could feel Harry's joy. It was radiating off him like the sun radiated heat. He was glad he had made this decision. Harry was happy and that was what he had wanted.

Still cautious, terrified of hurting him by being too violent or careless. Even reining himself in, barely letting himself thrust, he was right at the edge. Harry was sighing and clutching at the covers with every kiss he planted on his back and every thrust. He knew Harry was aroused. He was aroused for the first time and it filled him with so much regret. The last time Harry had been aroused like this was when he had been extremely inebriated and he was certain that Harry still did not remember that night.

He quickened his pace and Harry moaned out in pleasure. That sound surged a wave of pleasure through Voldemort's body and filled him with desire. Harry was close to the edge, he could feel it in the manner Harry was trembling and shaking, the way he was breathing and the way his knuckles whitened as he clutched the covers hard,

"I can't…. I'm going to…."

But Harry couldn't finish the sentence. His climax crashed down over him, blinding him, drowning him.

Harry's orgasm roused his internal demon. He forgot the restraint he had been exercising. Voldemort took him more brutally than ever before, not tying him up, but lashing him down with his own hands, his own limbs, his own weight until Harry was helpless to move, except to groan his strain, his overwhelming, breath-stealing, mind-blanking pleasure. He bit down on Harry's shoulder as he cried out his climax and heard Harry cry out in pain.

He looked down at the bleeding bite mark on Harry's shoulders and noticed the bruises that were forming on Harry's wrists where he had been holding them in a death grip. He had hurt him again just like he had known he would. Just like Dumbledore had told him he would. He kissed the bite mark and Harry hissed in pain. No words could ever correct this and he decided not to say anything. Carefully he pulled out of Harry and slowly laid down him.

Harry turned to his side and faced Voldemort. He wrapped his arms around him and buried his face in his chest. He wanted the happiness to soak right into his bones. He wanted this feeling to always be there. He never wanted it to end. He closed his eyes and savoured the moment, but didn't released his grip on Voldemort. For the first time in forever his body and mind relaxed. In that moment, there were no expectations upon him, no threats and no fear. He'd made it. He had survived and he had attained everything; love, family and a perfect life.

Voldemort had his eyes closed, he knew that Harry would be able to see the emotions swirling in them and that's why he kept them shut until he heard Harry's rhythmically, slow breathing which indicated that he had fallen asleep. He opened his eyes and took in the sigh before him. Harry looked like the epitome of peace and happiness. His lips were curled into a gentle smile and he looked angelic. Soon, he would make himself get up. He'd force himself to slip out of that warm embrace that made him feel whole. More whole than he'd ever felt in his entire life. He tried not to think about that awful moment, looming closer and closer. He wanted to relish these last minutes with Harry. To just be. But his mind kept wandering, just like it had, over and over, for the past few hours. Searching in the murky dark for all the moments, all the words, the looks that somehow added up to a reason why he couldn't be with Harry and he had found many.

He slowly and carefully extracted himself from Harry's arms and rose to his feet. After robing himself, he conjured a parchment and wrote down a single line on it. He placed it down on the bed beside Harry and brushed his lips against Harry's temple. Bidding him farewell in his heart, he vanished from the room.

Voldemort appeared in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. The celebration that had been taking place, came to a standstill and the death eaters in the vicinity fell on their knees. He saw fear in their eyes and yearned to see the same love for him that he had seen in those eyes for Harry. That would never happen so he signalled them to continue the celebration wordlessly and sought out the twins. He found them seated on a table with Sanguini in between them. They both fell to their feet at the sight of him and kissed his feet,

"My Lord."

Voldemort signalled them to rise and then spoke,

"Harry was exhausted, so he is sleeping at the castle. I wish for you to take care of him tomorrow morning when he awakens."

The twins looked at him quizzically. So, he decided to elaborate further,

"I have some matters to tend to so I shall not be present when he awakens. I hope that you will not disappoint me."

The twins nodded hesitantly. He knew that they were still confused but he knew that it would all make sense to them in the morning. He noticed that Sanguini was scrutinizing him but he didn't care. He had done what he had come here to do and vanished.

Harry awoke to the soft silk sheets, and the morning light that trickled in through the window. Shedding himself of the remaining glimpses of a dream, his eyes were still shut as he soaked in the happiness that he had felt last night. He extended his arm to feel Voldemort next to him but when his hands came up empty, he opened his eyes and took in the sight of the empty bed. He sat up straight as his hands felt the covers on Voldemort's side. They were cold. Harry felt as if his heart was sinking. His gaze landed on the parchment and he snatched it up with a hope that Voldemort had written down a note, telling him that he had to leave for some urgent task and he would see him soon. Instead when he turned it over and read the single line that was scrawled on it, he heard his heart shatter into a thousand tiny pieces and a howl of agony escaped his lips,

                                                                                                **" _I can never be worthy of you."_**


End file.
